How Long Does It Take to Get Your Trade Experience Recognised?

If you've been on the tools for years, you've probably wondered how long it actually takes to turn that hands-on experience into a nationally recognised qualification. It's a fair question — you're busy, you've got jobs lined up, and you don't want to be stuck in a process that drags on forever. The honest answer is: it depends on you. But let's walk through what really shapes the timeline so you know what to expect.

The short answer

There's no fixed number of weeks that fits everyone. Some tradies pull their evidence together quickly because they already have photos, references and paperwork sitting on their phone. Others take a bit longer because they're tracking down old job records or organising a referee or two.

As a rough guide, many people work through it over a few weeks to a couple of months — fitting it around their actual work. Because it's all online and done at your own pace, you're in control of how fast it moves.

What actually affects the timeline

A handful of things make the biggest difference to how long it takes:

• How much evidence you already have. Photos of your work, payslips, references, old contracts — the more you've got ready to go, the faster it moves.
• How organised your records are. If everything's in one place, you'll fly through it. If you're hunting for old documents, that adds time.
• How much time you can put in each week. A tradie who chips away for an hour on a Sunday will naturally take longer than someone who blocks out a weekend.
• The qualification itself. Each unit has its own requirements, and meeting all of them takes the time it takes.

How the process works step by step

Here's the rough shape of it so there are no surprises:

1. You start building your evidence. This is where you gather proof of the skills you already have — work samples, photos, references and so on.
2. You complete and organise it. All Pathways helps you put it together so it lines up with what the units actually need.
3. It goes to the partner Registered Training Organisation (RTO). Once your evidence is complete and ready, it's submitted to the RTO, who make the final assessment.

The first two steps are the ones you have the most control over. The last step — the formal competency decision — sits with the partner RTO, and they're the ones who issue the qualification.

An honest word on the outcome

We can't promise or guarantee a qualification, and you should be wary of anyone who does. Whether you get qualified depends on your evidence meeting the requirements of each unit, and that decision is made by the partner RTO — not by us. What All Pathways does is help you gather, complete and organise your evidence so it's in the best possible shape before it's submitted.

That's worth keeping in mind when you think about timeframes. The goal isn't to rush — it's to put together strong evidence that genuinely reflects the work you've done.

What it costs while you work through it

So you can plan properly, here's how the pricing works:

• The first week is free, so you can see how it works before paying a cent.
• After that it's $20 a week while you build your evidence — and you can cancel anytime.
• There's a one-off $500 at the very end, only when your evidence is complete and ready to be submitted to the partner RTO.

That means the longer you take, the more weeks tick over at $20 — another reason most people find it pays to stay organised and chip away steadily.

Qualifications you can work towards

Right now, All Pathways can help you get your experience recognised in:

• Certificate III in Carpentry
• Certificate III in Painting & Decorating

If you've been doing this work for years, much of the timeline is simply gathering proof of what you already know how to do.

Ready to see how quickly you could get started? The first week's free — jump in and start building your evidence today.