Exam Process and Preparation

Am I required to pass an examination to qualify for a Certificate of Qualification in my trade?

Not all trades in Ontario are subject to a Certificate of Qualification (C of Q) examination. For a list of trades with C of Q examinations, click here. If your trade is not subject to a C of Q exam and you have a Certificate of Apprenticeship or an approved Trade Equivalency Assessment, you are eligible to apply directly for a C of Q and membership in the Journeypersons Class.

Am I eligible to take a C of Q examination in Ontario?

You are eligible to take the C of Q examination for your trade if:

• You have a Certificate of Apprenticeship for your trade; or
• You have applied for the Journeypersons Class and your Trade Equivalency Assessment application has been approved.

 
Once you have determined your eligibility to take the exam, here are the steps you’ll need to follow to prepare and schedule an exam:

Step 1
Contact the Ontario College of Trades’ Client Services at 1-855-299-0028 (toll-free) or 647-847-3000 (in the GTA) to pay your exam fee (of $150 +HST); Payment can be made by: credit card over the phone, cheque or in person, using Debit.

Step 2
Now that you have paid your exam fee you can begin preparing. To help you, the College has developed a helpful Exam Preparation Guide that provides you with a wealth of information including but not limited to; specialized supports, exam preparation resources, information on study plans and study schedules, exam day tips and requirements, self-assessment checklists, getting your results and more. Click here to download the Guide. Click here to download the entire package (Guide and additional resources).

The College has also created Examination Counselling Sheets that outline the details of the Certificate of Qualification examination. For Ontario Provincial Certificate of Qualification examinations, the counselling sheet specifically details the percentage of questions for each Skill Set (key topic area). These Skill Sets are broken down into further detail in the trade’s Apprenticeship Training Standard Log Book. These are important tools to assist writers in their preparation for their examination. To locate an examination counselling sheet for one of Ontario’s provincial trades, click here(hyperlink to Training Standards page) then select the sector and trade you are seeking. Exam Counselling Sheets for trades with Interprovincial (Red Seal) examinations can be found on the Red Seal website at www.red-seal.ca.

Step 3
Once you think you’re prepared to take the exam, you have to contact the nearest Employment Ontario Apprenticeship Office to schedule your exam. Click here to see the list of locations. If you require any accommodations under the Human Rights Code that may assist you in writing the exam, they can be scheduled when you book a time.
Good luck.

Step 4
Once your exam has been scored, the College will contact you to inform you of your status, and next steps.

For more information, see Frequently Asked Questions – Certificate of Qualification Exam.