Guelph, ON — Skilled Trades Ontario (STO) will be issuing over 17,500 certificates of qualification (C of Q) and more than 200,000 wallet cards to apprentices and certified skilled trades workers across Ontario.
Compulsory and non-compulsory tradespeople who have completed their certification after Jan. 1, 2022, will receive their certificate of qualification in the coming months.
“Certificates of qualification (C of Q) are a great source of pride for construction workers across every single trade. They are a culmination of thousands of hours of on-the-job training along with classroom instruction reflecting the credentials earned by those workers,” shares Marc Arsenault, business manager at the Provincial Building & Construction Trades Council of Ontario. “The issuing of C of Qs and wallet cards helps purchasers of construction services know that they are hiring highly-trained, skilled trades professionals ready to build and maintain the infrastructure that we depend on.”
According to the STO, a certificate of qualification is an official document that proves that a person is qualified to work in a particular skilled trade in Ontario. To obtain a certificate of qualification, individuals are required to have passed their certification exam and have met all requirements to practice their trade in Ontario.
Beginning this fall, wallet cards will be issued to apprentices and certified compulsory and non-compulsory skilled trades professionals in the province. Wallet cards can be carried while working on the job, in the event they are requested by inspectors or clients.
Certificates of qualification issued prior to Jan. 1, 2022, will continue to be valid and recognized by STO.
“This is an exciting milestone for thousands of skilled trades professionals,” said Melissa Young, CEO and registrar of STO. “Not only do certificates of qualification and wallet cards serve to validate credentials, they are a testament to the hard work, resilience and unwavering dedication behind every certified skilled trades professional. I look forward to seeing them proudly displayed on worksites and in businesses across the province.”