RPL in Nova Scotia: Here to Stay Issue 3, April 2026 |
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Welcome! Spring is here—and so are we. Shake off the winter and dive into the third issue of RPL in Nova Scotia: Here to Stay.
After a long winter, we are excited to share a fresh edition packed with insight, impact, and inspiration. In this issue, we highlight an Africentric RPL initiative led by the Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute, and also feature Holly Rye from the Military Family Resource Centre, who brings her perspective on why RPL matters in career development and transition.
In our RPL Spotlight, Jeremy McQuigge reflects on the value of contribution and its importance in the recognition of learning. The focus of our Learner Story is T.J. Jordan, a community builder and Certified Career Development Practitioner. You will also find updates on NSCDA initiatives, along with other resources.
Join us as we explore the many dimensions of RPL. We welcome your ideas and contributions and invite you to share this newsletter with your networks. |
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Interested in Contributing? |
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We welcome newsletter contributions from across our community. There are many ways to get involved; you might consider highlighting a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) project, sharing your ideas, insights, or suggestions, or showcasing an inspiring learner success story.
If you would like to contribute or explore an idea, we’d love to hear from you—please feel free to reach out to either:
Teresa Francis - tfrancis@nscda.ca OR
Lisa Strong - lstrong@nscda.ca |
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Africentric RPL Initiative |
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The Africentric RPL initiative through the Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute was a two-year (2021-23) advancement of decolonial practices in recognizing the strengths and lived experiences of members of the Black, and African Nova Scotian, community in their path to meaningful employment and/or post-secondary education pursuits.
DBDLI has embraced and is committed to Africentric philosophy best articulated through UBUNTU: “I am because we are”. This is in alignment with our collective, communal and relational ways of being as people of African descent.
In keeping with this epistemological, ontological, cosmologic and philosophical way of being, this article is an interview discussion between Louise Adongo (Consultant) and Rajean Willis (Project Management & Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator).
For more information, or to share the resources discussed in the interview please visit: https://dbdli.ca/2026/03/19/rpl-framework/ |
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Louise Adongo (LA) – Good morning Rajean (RW), it is really great to have this opportunity to talk to you about this important work today. This interview will become an article which provides its reader with another avenue to honour DBDLI’s commitment to share with a broader community the insights from the Africentric RPL work that was done in the last few years. To me it is emblematic of DBDLI’s appreciation for being trusted with the Black community's voices and stories. DBDLI also sees this as an opportunity, which if integrated into current systems, can increase economic capacity within our African Nova Scotian/Black communities. OK, so let’s get to the questions:
LA: For readers who are new to this work, what was the “Starting from Experience” project?
RW: It was DBDLI’s Phase One research to map assets and resiliency and design an Africentric Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) framework that starts from lived experience and supports adult learners of African ancestry to transition into meaningful employment. LA: What did you actually do on the ground?
RW: We used a mixed-method approach—document review, focus groups, and storytelling—and held ten engagement sessions across the province (including Digby, Shelburne, Bridgewater, Halifax/Dartmouth, Preston Township, New Glasgow, Lincolnville, and Sydney). LA: What did you hear from community?
RW: Over 40 African Nova Scotians shared stories in a space where people felt safe. We heard that many had limited awareness of RPL and missed opportunities because of it, and we also heard repeated experiences of anti-Black racism and stress in education and workplaces—alongside powerful themes of wellness, intersectionality, and community support.
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LA: So what were the results—what changed because of what you learned?
RW: We remodeled the traditional RPL framework to include culturally relevant pillars: Awareness, Wellness Support, and Aftercare/Transition Support—because recognition of skills is not only technical; it’s also relational and healing-informed. LA: Any next steps planned?
RW: Yes—our recommendation is a Phase Two to implement and trial the proposed ARPL Framework, identify culturally responsive assessors, and develop practical tools (including a storytelling-based assessment guide). LA: Can you share a few stories of what you observed as significant changes among participants?
RW: Participants were eager to talk about the challenges experienced in both their educational journey and employment endeavors. Community members talked with pride and confidence about their upbringings and cultural practices and how these offered transferable skills such as healthy coping and problem solving, for example. |
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LA: What about within DBDLI - what did working on this project do for you and the team?
RW: Whenever I have the opportunity to work within community, I feel inspired and filled with purpose. This project taught us that we, as African Nova Scotians can change the narrative and challenge mainstream processes and ways of knowing and doing while staying authentic to who we are. What was reinforced was that healing needs to be at the centre of anything that we build.
I’d also like to highlight the challenges that can present when we break the mold that was never designed for us. The very process of re-imagining RPL through our Africentric model affirmed just how much it is needed. LA: Thanks so much for your comments, where can people go to find out more about this initiative or to share it with their networks?
RW: Please visit our page on DBDLI’s website https://dbdli.ca/2026/03/19/rpl-framework/ for content on the framework itself, the Africentric RPL report and other contributors.
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RPL Spotlight: Jeremy McQuigge
"Recognition Begins with Contribution" |
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At the Council Advancing Work-Based Learning (CAWBL), we believe that the most valuable data point in any economy isn't a credential; it’s a contribution. As we work to build infrastructure that makes this contribution visible globally, we must never lose sight of the practitioners on the ground who turn experience into opportunity. The following lived-experience story explores why shifting our perspective on recognition is essential for the future of our communities.
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Recognition Begins with Contribution
I grew up in the Municipality of Tweed, a rural Ontario community where learning was everywhere—in the work that needed to be done and the knowledge passed down. You learned because you contributed. And you contributed because it mattered.
Later, as a college program coordinator, I saw the friction in our systems. I observed how "whole credit" criteria and unspoken residency requirements created barriers for people who already had demonstrated learning. I understand how frustrating that system can be for practitioners. But I also know that your work is the only thing bridging the gap.
As regional programs close and institutional pathways disappear, the role of the RPL practitioner becomes a lifeline. You are guides and translators helping individuals articulate what they know. When you sit with a client and draw out their story, you’re building a "warrant of trust"—a way for a Main Street employer or a small community organization to see a neighbour’s capabilities truly. We are entering an era where we must see RPL beyond the transcript. This is RPL for living. This is RPL for contribution.
Every time you help someone align their unique experience with a local need, you support them in building a family-supporting career without forcing them to leave their community. You ensure that even when a building or a program closes, the talent remains visible and valued.
We are in this together, striving for a future where a person’s contribution is recognized as the most valuable currency we have. Continue to share your stories, and together we can make this invisible system visible!
Links: CAWBL website: https://cawbl.ca PRAXIS: The Work-Based Learning Journal: https://praxis.cawbl.ca
CAWBL LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cawbl |
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Jeremy McQuigge is the inaugural Secretary-General of the Council Advancing Work-Based Learning and is the system designer and architect of the Work-Based Learning Numbering System™ (WBLNS™) and PathLedger™. |
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Learner Success Story:
T.J. Jordan
T.J. Jordan is a Community Liaison/Coordinator, Nova Scotia Brotherhood, Northern Region, NS Health, and a Certified Career Development Practitioner (CCDP). |
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My journey began when I was hired at Nova Scotia Works-Futureworx, as a Career Practitioner. I was one of approximately 15 African Nova Scotians hired across the province through a DEI program designed to reconfigure NSW offices to be more representative of the communities that make up Nova Scotia.
I set out to access the RPL program, and to fast track some of the time needed to gain my certification. I was unable to utilize my previous position (Student Support Worker at the Junior high level) to be recognized for prior learning due to the position not being directly focused on career development. This was a blessing in disguise. I wanted to be sure I was prepared to complete and pass the RPL assessments – the exam and interview. The time it took to gain the experience ensured I was well-versed in case management with an understanding of the job that allowed me to do such with confidence. I spent the next four years gaining experience and soaking up as much of the knowledge as I could.
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When it came time to complete my certification by writing the exam and doing the interview, I was ready. Nervous but ready. During the process of me gaining my certification it was upgraded to a national designation. This made the time spent gaining the certification even more worthwhile. I feel like I have the ‘Red Seal of Career Development Practice’ and I flex it wherever I go. |
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When I completed Certification, I didn’t know that I would soon leave employment services to join the NS Brotherhood as a Community Liaison. But employment is a big factor in health, and when I step into a room or conversation, my CCDP designation is with me. I feel having the certification will make me more effective in just about any role moving forward, allowing me to be an effective liaison between information and my community.
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EMPOWERED: The Portfolio Career - January 2026 Co-hort |
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Building on the success of our inaugural offering last year, NSCDA began the second cohort of EMPOWERED: The Portfolio Career in January 2026. Over the course of seven weeks, the 14 participants engaged in meaningful learning, deep reflection, and collaborative discussion. Together, they explored personal strengths, transferable skills, lived experience, and the importance of a portfolio mindset. As participants gained greater self-awareness and clarity about what they know and what they can do, they began to see new possibilities for shaping and communicating their career narratives, and those of their clients.
The result was a truly transformative experience—both for participants and facilitators. The energy, insight, and mutual support within the group created a powerful learning environment that fostered growth, confidence, and connection.
Congratulations to our 14 graduates! - Denise Greenough
- Paula MacKay
- Dana Pettipas
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Jennifer MacIntosh
- Jessie Facitelli
- Katie Pellerin
- Pam Strum
- Jessie Crabill
- Patricia Brooks Arenburg
- Daniela MacKay
- Ronda Spears
- Dee Nelson
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Evelyn Headley-Boutilier
- Samantha Downey
Those interested in participating in the EMPOWERED program can reach out to Teresa Francis tfrancis@nscda.ca for more information. |
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Why RPL? Holly Rye
"It’s a natural fit for military spouses" |
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For 23 years, I have been privileged to work alongside hundreds of military spouses, guiding them through career and life transitions. In every instance, prioritizing Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) – in particular, Portfolio Development - has been transformative, enabling spouses to validate their unique experiences and empowering them to confidently pursue new opportunities and build resilient, fulfilling lives both within and beyond the military community.
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RPL is uniquely well suited to military spouses due to the frequent transitions and relocations that are part of the military life. RPL validates and celebrates the diverse experiences and skills that spouses acquire often outside traditional educational or employment settings. Military spouses adapt to new environments, take on varied roles, and develop resilience and flexibility, critical transferable skills that may not be reflected in standard resumes or academic transcripts.
Through RPL/Portfolio Development, military spouses can systematically document their achievements, strengths, and competencies, making their often-overlooked skills visible to potential employers or educational institutions. The process empowers them to articulate their value, builds confidence, and supports smoother transitions into new careers or educational pursuits, no matter how many times they move.
The powerful process of compiling a portfolio allows military spouses to showcase not only their formal achievements but also the invaluable life skills gained through volunteering, community involvement, and managing family life during relocation, separation and absences. The result? A tangible record that highlights their adaptability, problem-solving abilities, and leadership qualities, closing the gap often created by non-linear career paths.
Perhaps most impactful is how RPL and Portfolio Development foster a sense of agency and self-worth, helping military spouses see the value in their unique journeys and constant personal sacrifices. This recognition can be transformative, leading to increased motivation, stronger career prospects, and a greater sense of belonging within both military and civilian communities. Ultimately, these tools not only support individual growth, but also contribute to stronger, more resilient families and communities across Canada.
Holly Rye, CCDP is the Career & Employment Counsellor, at the Halifax & Regional Military Family Resource Centre |
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In this episode of From the Field, NSCDA team member, Teresa Francis, speaks with Holly Rye, Career and Employment Counsellor at the Halifax and Region Military Family Resource Centre, supporting Canada's largest military base. Holly shares insights from over two decades of helping military spouses/family members navigate their own meaningful career transitions. She speaks of the unique needs and challenges of this group and leaves us with suggestions for offering support to this client group.
Click the link below to check out this 10 minute podcast. |
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The trusted voice for the career development community since the late 1990s. Offering professional certification, training based on competencies, special membership benefits, and opportunities to get involved in research, networking, and advocacy. |
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