FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Q	I have 15 years' experience. Would this thing be enough to gain automatic recognition of the competencies? The focus of the RAC process is what you learned during these years, not the number of years per se.

• Q

  Will my diploma or report card be worth as much as a diploma earned by someone successfully completing a regular study program? Yes. The diploma or report card issued attests that you master the competencies required by our study programs. In addition, the results of the process you completed (the recognition of acquired competencies you earned) will be indicated on the same type of official document, report card or transcript.

• Q

  Is it easier for me to earn a diploma by going through the RAC process rather than a training program? No. In fact, you will have to meet the same requirements as persons taking training, as you will need to acquire the same competencies. The difference is that the RAC process uses adult-specific evaluation methods which, though stringent, take into account both how you learned and the extrascholastic and experiential nature of your learning, and give you an opportunity to prove that you have acquired these competencies during the course of activities or situations you are familiar with. That way, the competencies you master are recognized, and you do not have to relearn what you already know.

• Q

  Once my acquired competencies have been recognized, must I take the training I need to earn a diploma? It all depends on your objectives. For example, you could very well just gain recognition for a few competencies you would need to apply for a job. However, if your goal is to earn a diploma to gain entry into a trade, you will have to gain recognition of or acquire all the competencies of the study program in question.

• Q

  Will I have to go back to school if I need training because I don’t have some or all of a given competency to achieve my objective? Determining the training to be acquired and, if necessary, proposing various ways on how to get there are an integral part of the RAC process. Once you have gone through the process, you will be given a report showing your competencies that have been recognized, recommendations on the content of training to be taken and suggestions on the various ways of acquiring them.

• Q

  How much time will it take for me to gain recognition for my acquired competencies and get the training I need, if necessary? There is no one single answer to this question. Several factors must be considered: the objectives you are pursuing (a few competencies or a diploma, etc.), the organization of services in the institution you approached, your motivation and your availability. In short, it would be a good idea to discuss this matter with your RAC counsellor after your candidate file has been submitted to gain some insight as to how much time it will take.

• Q

  How can I access to the recognition of acquired competencies (RAC) process? You can contact the educational institution of your choice. From this site, you are able to refer to the SERVICES OFFERED by region or do a search by training discipline and study program by clicking on this link: http://www.ceracfp.ca/CustomPages/ServicesOfferts/Search/Index.aspx

• Q

  How will they go evaluating me? Various ways will be proposed to evaluate each of the competencies for which you wish to gain recognition. For example, a specialist in the trade in question can go to your work, if you and your employer are in agreement, to watch you perform a task. In other cases, you will be given personal work to do at home and will later meet with a specialist who will question you, for example, on the method you used or ask you to make some changes to the work you submitted. There is a host of evaluation methods that can be used, and you will have an opportunity to discuss this with the specialists or the RAC counsellor responsible for your file and come to an agreement with them on the ways best suited to your situation.

• Q	Will my employer be told about my taking part in the process and my results? Educational institutions offering RAC services are legally bound to confidentiality. It will therefore be up to you to decide, based on your objectives and interest, whether your employer must be aware and act accordingly.

• Q

  Is my work experience the only thing that counts? No. Your life experiences, volunteer work, leisure activities or other personal activities can be taken into account to the extent that you can prove that what you learned by partaking in them helped develop the competencies you want to have recognized as part of a study program.