News

We will be holding an open information session on Wednesday 15 March 12.00-13.30 (eastern) to discuss with you how CAPLA can best support you in the important work that you do. We would really appreciate your valuable input on 2 main questions:

1. What training needs, interests or topics would you find the most useful in 2023-2024?

a. For example, assessment, advising, Indigenous RPL, self-assessment, transfer credits, educating employees & employers on RPL…?

2. Would you like to meet online regularly to share RPL/PLAR topics of interest with colleagues during free Zoom sessions?

a. How often, at what time?

b. What format? For example, discussion, presentation, panel discussion, troubleshooting, flexible topics…?

The meeting will be on Zoom on Wednesday 15 March 12.00-13.30 at this link. Come and join us for as long as you can or send us your ideas via email at info@capla.ca if you can’t attend. We are looking forward to your involvement as we plan our professional development activities for the next year.

Best regards,

CAPLA Education & Training (E&T) Committee

Liz Nicholas, Mackenzie Bartlett, Paula Romanow, Gary McNeely, Bonnie Kennedy, Andy Brown

In this episode we have been joined by Mackenzie Bartlett, RPL Coordinator, and Patrick Reinartz, RPL Coordinator, of New Brunswick Community College.


The episode has lots of great tools and resources to take PLAR programs to the next level, improve PLAR service delivery levels, and many more!

Listen to the episode on www.bcplan.ca! 

In this industry update we have been joined by Chi Cejalvo, RD, a Deputy Director, Registration, of the Association of BC Forest Professionals.

Join us as we learn about how the association utilizes PLAR to assess credentials of internationally-trained applicants and graduates of non-accredited programs for forestry professionals in BC. 

Listen to the industry update. 

Check out our latest industry update with Fraser Cocks, a former Executive Director of the BC Association for Crane Safety. 

Wondering what the BC PLAR industry has been up to for the past quarter? Looking for some professional development events in PLAR? Or simply would like to network with fellow PLAR practitioners? 

To find answers to the above questions and more check out our Winter 2022 newsletter!

Fellow PLAR Practitioners,

Welcome to 2022! We hope you had an opportunity for a holiday filled with rest, relaxation and time with your loved ones.

Since the last newsletter, BCPLAN has continued advocating for PLAR and building new partnerships in BC. We concluded 2021 with a PLAR Mingle which was a great success and a networking opportunity for PLAR practitioners joining us from around the province, Canada, and even international practitioners! We are looking forward to the next PLAR Mingle at the end of 2022, and until then, we have some great updates to share with you.

It is worth noting, we have joined Learning Agents Inc. and DP+A Associates to conduct research on options for PLAR and micro-credentials in BC as part of a research project for BCcampus. The project completion date is scheduled for March 31, 2022. Watch for an update in our next newsletter. In addition, as part of this research we were able to update most of the information in PLAR Options, Processes and Credit Allowances in BC, a research project conducted for BCCAT in 2019. 

The PLAR Podcast continues its steady growth! The second episode was just released, featuring an interview with Justine Arsenault, Program Planning Analyst with BCIT’s SITE Centre, on military PLAR. We have also welcomed Natalie Deveaux, Assessment Services Coordinator at North Island College in Courtenay, as a co-host of the podcast. Please listen to the second episode on our website or follow the podcast on Apple or Google podcasts. 

We are also happy to share that we have welcomed new members to the Sustainability & Partnerships and Communications & Advocacy committees. In addition, while BCPLAN membership has a strong representation from major BC post-secondary institutions, we saw an opportunity for growth by increasing the representation from industry associations. The Sustainability & Partnerships committee is set to build strategies to develop such partnerships in 2022. 

Professional Development wise, we are developing two sessions for February-March, and will be excited share more details once the registration is open! Please stay tuned for membership communications from info@bcplan.ca.

Last but not least, please visit the PLAR Navigator Portfolios page for new career profiles for occupations in BC recently added to the website.  

On this note, I would like to conclude this report with a feeling of gratitude and appreciation of all the efforts by our members, BCPLAN Board of Directors and the two committees – Sustainability & Partnerships and Communications & Advocacy, to continuously support and advocate for PLAR in BC. 

Best regards,
Susan Forseille

Episode 2 - Military PLAR at British Columbia Institute of Technology with Justine Arsenault

In this episode we have been joined by Justine Arsenault, a Program Planning Analyst with British Columbia Institute of Technology’s (BCIT) SITE Centre, to talk about Military PLAR at BCIT. 

In addition, we have also welcomed Natalie Deveaux, Assessment Services Coordinator at North Island College in Courtney, BC, as a co-host of the podcast! 

Listen to the episode on www.bcplan.ca

On behalf of BC Prior Learning Action Network, we are wishing you a very happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year! #PLAR #RPL #Holidays

Quarterly Report from the Chair

Greetings our dear members,

It is always a great pleasure to provide an update on recent developments at BCPLAN and the advocacy work that the Action Network is conducting to further solidify and promote PLAR in British Columbia.

To begin with, we opened the Fall season with a webinar on tools and strategies in the assessment of prior learning. The webinar had a total of 47 registrants. Moreover, we had an 80% attendance and an 88% participant retention rates throughout the webinar, adding another success to BCPLAN’s track record.

With the rapid re-entry of micro-credentials in the education market in the province, we have also contracted a consultant to develop a white paper to be used for various audiences when applying for funding, focusing on the weaving of micro-credentials and PLAR. More details to come in the near future.

As always, I am excited to share some updates on the exceptional work BCPLAN members have been working on this past quarter:

Sustainability and Partnerships

• The committee has been conducting activities to engage new members to sustain growth and support of PLAR as a profession.
• We have reached out to diverse stakeholders to present at upcoming webinars and professional development events at BCPLAN. Please visit www.bcplan.ca/events to stay up-to-date with the upcoming events.
• Due to recent growth over the past few years, BCPLAN is conducting a Strategic Planning Meeting to assess progress made and set goals for advocacy and growth of PLAR in BC.
• One of the center pieces of current projects is the development of Indigenous PLAR initiative with a focus on decolonizing PLAR. Stay tuned for more details.

Communications and Advocacy

• Organized a series of webinars in October and November. More events are being finalized and will be published on the website soon.
• BCPLAN continues with its advocacy for PLAR and works with adult learners to share their PLAR success stories as a way to demonstrate tangible benefits of this field.
• We are excited to officially launch our podcast series – BCPLAN PLAR Podcast – where we will further delve into prior learning assessment and recognition. Please visit www.bcplan.ca/plar-podcast to listen to the first episode.

I would like to conclude this report by thanking BCPLAN Board of Directors, our committees, and especially you, our members, for your continued support of the Action Network. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any suggestions, comments, or questions regarding the work BCPLAN does.

Warm regards,

Susan Forseille

Looking for the latest updates on PLAR in BC? Check out the Fall 2021 newsletter! The newsletter has a new section with a short update from industry leaders in prior learning assessment and recognition!