Lorraine Brogan
A key challenge in the RPL process was giving myself credit and accepting how far I had come, which has made me very proud. RPL has been an integral part in helping me to progress to Masters level.
I wanted to do a level eight degree. And when the Springboard courses came out, they just didn't have anything that I was interested in, but they had a level nine in Waterford, a Masters in Business in Internationalisation, and I just felt like, this is right up my street now because I'm really into this.
I found RPL was great for reflection. I know some people do mind maps and brainstorm, but I'm a writer. I like to write, read, rewrite, read, rewrite. I did draft one, draft two, draft three, and draft four. And that's how I perfect things. So there must have been eight or nine drafts of this RPL application before I decided to upload it.
So I uploaded it, and then I got an email saying that I could have an interview. And I was so happy, I was jumping around the kitchen. So I had the interview with the course coordinator, and he was just so nice on the phone. And I just got the impression or the feeling that this could actually happen for me, that maybe the stars are aligning a little bit. And then it took a few weeks, and I got an email saying, I got a place.
Taking the time to reflect when completing my RPL application made me realise just how much I had in fact learned from my experience in work, from short courses I had taken, and the voluntary work I was doing without even realising it because it was such a normal part of life.
I just couldn't believe how lucky a person I was. I had tried education before and it just didn't work out for me. I don't know what it was, but I think sometimes there's someone behind you encouraging you and telling you, you can do this, you're well capable.
