Australia's tertiary institutions and licensing authorities that control the right to work in various trades and professions have largely ignored the need for procedures and processes to recognize formally the knowledge that people gain in their life experiences. For this reason, the issue of assessing adult learners' life experiences for the purpose of granting them exemptions from various course work was studied and a model for conducting such assessments was developed. The assessment process uses an assessment panel consisting of people with recognized expertise in the field in question. Persons seeking certification submit portfolios and participate in assessment interviews. After having received the appropriate assessment training, the same panel assesses both portfolio and interview performance. The portfolio assessment involves checking the relevance of the competencies claimed against the outcomes of the courses from which exemption is being sought and classifying the work presented against rating scales. A structured interview and checklist are used in assessing candidates' interview performance. Provisional exemption is granted by the assessment panel, and assessment of performance continues on the job for a specified period (this is done primarily through a log book). After all of stages stages have been successfully completed, exemption is finally ratified. (MN)