Trade Certification Exam Information Sheet

Toronto Apprenticeship Office 625 Church St.,Ste.100 Toronto ON M7A 2B5 (416) 326-5800 The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities administers all trades certification exams. You must be approved by the Ministry to write an Ontario trade certification exam. In order to write a trade certification exam you must: 1. Complete an Apprenticeship Program in Ontario or 2. Complete a Certification of Qualification application which includes having your credentials assessed and approved by Ministry staff Exams are run once at 8:30am and again at 12:30pm each day, Monday to Friday Latecomers will not be admitted All seats are available on a first come, first serve basis You must be approved prior to the exam in order to write the exam Same day assessments for the morning exam (8:30am) will not be done It is recommended you show up before the exam so that there is sufficient time to process your payment prior to the start of the exam. Exam Fee is $100 for each attempt We accept the following methods of payment: Cash, Personal cheques (made payable to the Minister of Finance), Money orders, Debit card / Interac, Amex / MasterCard / VISA You will be given a receipt for your payment. You must show this receipt to the exam invigilator when you write your exam. What to Bring to the Exam On exam day, candidates must bring the following; Photo identification (i.e Driver's licence, Health card or Passport) A valid Social Insurance card Exam fee or proof of payment Letter of Permission or a Provisional License (if you have been issued one)

What Will be Provided in the Exam Everything you need to write the exam such as calculators, code books, scrap paper, dictionaries, pencils, ruler and erasers will be provided to you. You are not to bring these items to the exam. Examiner approval may be given for use of a personal dictionary if we are unable to provide one in your language. These will be retained by the examiner for a period of up to one week after the exam. No technical dictionaries allowed. To Schedule an Exam The Toronto Office is the only office in Ontario that provides walk-in, same day service for exams. If you would like to book an appointment for your exam, you may contact one the following offices in the GTA to schedule your exam (turn over):

Mississauga
The Emerald Centre 10 Kingsbridge Garden Circle, Suite 404 Toll fee 1-800-736-5520 Tel-905-279-7333

Pickering
1420 Bayly Street toll free 1-800-461-4608 tel - 905-837-7721

Barrie
34 Simcoe Street toll free 1-800-560-3821 tel-705-737-1431

Note: If you have already scheduled an exam in another office and you wish to write the exam in the Toronto office, you must cancel your scheduled exam in the other office before writing the exam in the Toronto office. Translators/lnterpreters/Readers A reservation for an 8:30 am exam is required. You must pay for the exam when you make the reservation. A translator/ interpreter/ reader may be used by a candidate if prior approval is granted. The information on your translator/interpreter/reader needs to be provided one week before you are scheduled to write your exam. A translator form must be completed prior to scheduling the exam In order to be approved, translators/interpreters/readers must meet the following criteria: Must be residents of Ontario Must have a valid Social Insurance card and photo identification such as a Driver's Licence or passport Must not be in the trade or any related trade to the one being translated /read Must not have translated, interpreted or read for this trade or related trade within the previous 12 months OR must not have translated, interpreted or read for any other trade within the last 6 months If you require a translator/interpreter/reader to accompany you during the exam you must reserve a booth prior to writing the exam. Please call 416-326-5800 to schedule your exam.

The pass mark for all exams is 70% Re-writing the Exam Candidates who fail to achieve the required pass mark may re-write the exam after 16 days. You are required to pay one hundred dollars ($100) each time you write the exam. Results of exams are mailed to the candidate within 10 days. Results will not be given over the phone or in person. Upon passing, wallet and wall certificates are sent by mail within 6 weeks. Please inform us of any changes to your address or Social Insurance Number. After three attempts, it is strongly advised that you speak to a Training Consultant to identify options to assist you in preparing for the exam. Location and Parking Availability The Toronto Apprenticeship Office is located one block south of Bloor St. and one block East of Yonge St. The closest subway stop is Yonge/Bloor subway. We are a short walking distance from there. No parking is provided, however there are privately-run parking lots. Please ensure your car is parked in a secure area as you will not be allowed to leave the exam to tend to your car.

Resources Available:
References to help you succeed on your examination are available from the Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities (MTCU) Apprenticeship office, Including: 1 Training Standard: on-the-job performance objectives that can be used as a job study guide. The examination is based on this document. 2.Curriculum Standard: in-school learning objectives that can be used as a theory study guide. The curriculum is based on the training standard. 3. Examination Plan: examination content and percentage of items testing each topic. 4. For Red Seal examinations, you can also obtain the National Occupational Analysis at http://www.red-seal.ca/english/analist_e.shtml Textbooks of the trades are useful and are often available from training institutions teaching the in-school or related training program.

Important Information You Should Know Before Writing Your Exam:

Accommodations are in place for individuals who have challenges dealing with a written exam. Speak to staff before writing your exam. If you have a complaint about the content of the exam, please complete an exam complaint form, citing question numbers, immediately upon completion of your exam. Speak to staff to obtain an exam complaint form. If industry experts validate your concern and the result would change your score from a fail to a pass you will be contacted.

Getting Ready:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. If you feel you need a refresher course, ask the MTCU Training Consultant about available training courses in your area. Local colleges may run these as a way to upgrade your trade skills and knowledge. Decide on a study strategy that is suitable for you and the trade content. Try to set specific times for study and stick with them. Find a comfortable place to study, away from distractions. Use short study periods with regular breaks as they are the most effective for peak concentration and retention. Reward yourself for study success. Assign yourself study time for a topic based on its importance on the examination (use the Examination Plan to find out the number of questions to be asked). Effective study begins well before the examination and depends on spreading out your study times. Your ability to remember will be greatly improved if you look at your study materials often and re-read them every three or four weeks.

How to study for the C of Q Examination: Using the Training Standard

If you haven't done this yet and the examination is only a short time away, don't panic, there is still time! Here are some steps you can follow: 1. Read and understand each Performance Objective in the Training Standard. It will usually contain the following three elements in this order, beginning with the task in bold: V The task you have to perform V Under what conditions, using which materials and equipment V T o what measurement or level of satisfaction (how well you have to do it) Identify all the details of the performances in the task. Identify the sequence of the task. Identify any equipment to be used. Visualize yourself doing each performance in the task, in the proper sequence. Talk yourself though the task (you may want to ask someone else to check you while doing this). Discuss the task in detail with others who are experienced. Examine the standard of performance required, i.e. how well you have to do it, and ensure you understand how it applies.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

9.

If you have not done a certain task, ask your supervisor or someone in the trade to show you why, how and when it is done. 10. Remember, any performance objective in the Training Standard may be tested whether it is indicated optional or mandatory.

Using the Trade Theory/Textbooks/ Curriculum Standard

1. Use a text and locate a good trade glossary of terms. 2. Identify the key concepts, theories and principles using the textbook organization. 3. Identify important or typical problems in the trade performances. 4. Identify exceptions to theories and the conditions where they occur 5. For each concept find and learn the related definitions or formulas. 6. Relate each concept or formula to our on-the-job experience. 7. Relate the concepts to one another to give yourself a general overview. 8. Sequence or organize information by job application so it makes sense. 9. Rehearse sequences and relationships by repeating them out loud. 10. Draw diagrams to show structures and relationships. Don't try to learn too much at once. Memorize some information, six or seven items, and then take a short break to give your memory time to store the new information. Determine what is most likely to be asked on the examination based on the examination plan. The questions in a trade textbook may provide a good indication of this also.

So, what kinds of questions will be asked on the multiple choice exam?
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Questions testing trade terminology and concepts. Questions asking when a specific task should be done with correct answers indicating, "every three months" or "after this other task" or "before that task. Questions asking why a task is done, with correct answers indicating, "because this condition exists" or "to get this sort of result". Questions asking how tasks are done, with correct answers indicating skills and techniques or certain job sequences. Questions asking what permission is needed or what standard must be followed in doing a job, e.g. which code or blueprint information is used? Questions asking consequences, such as "when a certain event happens or a certain task is done, what effect does it have?"

Examination Writing Strategies

Apply 3 principles: Use time wisely, read directions & questions carefully and use good reasoning. Consider all the alternatives: Do not jump at the first possible answer; it may be misleading. Read through all answers in the order they appear, then choose the best one. 3. Relate each possible answer to the question: Consider how well each option answers the question; is it logical, correct response? Use the process of elimination to rule out the wrong answers. 4. Anticipate the answer before you look at the options: Read the questions carefully and then answer it on your own; find the answer, which is the same as yours. 5. Use information from other questions to help you: Look for similar questions, or questions on the same topic; do the responses overlap? Is there any extra information you could use, e.g. a definition? 6. Look for words such as always, never, etc.: They are absolute words, indicating there are no exceptions to the statements. Be careful not to accept answers using such extremes unless you are certain there are no exceptions. 7. If you are not sure of the correct response: Eliminate the "definitely not" option(s); balance the remaining options against each other (how are they the same/different); then choose the best alternative answer remaining. 8. REMEMBER: Your first instinct is probably the right answer, but only if you read the question correctly. 1. 2.