Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) is a systematic process that assesses and recognizes an individual's knowledge and skills regardless of where or how the learning was acquired. Within a post-secondary learning system, a PLAR process generally involves the assessment of experiential learning for educational credit or occupational certification with reference to the standards of the credential granting body.

Experiential learning can be non-formal (e.g., workplace-based training, non-credit courses) or informal (e.g., learning resulting from life experience, workplace-based learning, hobbies, volunteer activities, family chores, etc).

Over the past decade, PLAR has been increasingly acknowledged as a valuable human resource planning strategy that can be used to effectively address the challenges of skill identification and assessment in a knowledge-based economy where continuous learning is encouraged and supported.

PLAR processes can be applied when what a person knows and can do is assessed in relation to a certain goal (see Section 2.7 of the RPL Referral Guide)

Natalie Shorten, Policy Analyst
Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration
12th Floor, 1945 Hamilton Street,
REGINA SK S4P 2C8
Phone: (306) 787-3845
Fax: (306) 787-7182
rpl@gov.sk.ca