Turning up to a job you hate each day is hard, and the impacts are felt in every area of your life. It's impossible to leave the feeling of frustration and resentment at your desk – and that means you take these negative emotions home to family and loved ones.

And to make it worse, you might be watching your colleagues get fast-tracked into promotion. What’s their secret? And how can you turn a stagnating job into a thriving career that fulfills you?

Why has my career stalled?

Wondering how you’ve ended up in employment quicksand? Common reasons for a stalled career include:

• You haven’t updated your skillset: No matter the industry you’re in, rapid changes can alter the working landscape – and the skills that landed you the job in the first place can very quickly become outdated.

• You’ve stopped growing: Nothing kills career progression quicker than boredom. There comes a point where you can barely disguise your dissatisfaction – and that attitude is unlikely to attract the attention of a boss looking to promote someone.

• You’re in the wrong industry: It’s not uncommon to enter an industry full of passion, only to discover that it’s not what you hoped it would be.

Sound familiar? It’s likely that the way forward for you is by updating and expanding your skillset – and that may involve going back to study. But before you dismiss this as a long and expensive path, you need to consider RPL.

Is RPL the way forward for you?

No matter whether you want to move up the career ladder in your current industry, or break into an entirely new one, the skills and experience you already possess can help fast-track your progression.

RPL or Recognition of Prior Learning translates your existing skills and knowledge into Australian course requirements. An RPL Certificate or Diploma means you don’t need to complete all course subjects to get qualification. Ensure you engage a 100% fully accredited Australian Registered Training Organisation (RTO) – they are legally authorised to conduct RPL assessments and issue RPL qualifications.

Don’t be deterred by the thought of endless years of expensive studies. A faster, cheaper path to your dream job is possible.