Sponsored Content: Preparing for Red Seal Certification for Plumbers

How do I get my Red Seal Plumber certification? This is a frequent question we get at Ashton College. The answer depends on your background and experience level but for most tradespeople or apprentices it means taking the Red Seal exam. In preparing for that comprehensive exam, many individuals choose to take a Red Seal plumber exam preparation course.

Red Seal Plumber is an interprovincial standardized process for testing Apprentices and journeypersons.  It is a compulsory red seal trades in Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Ontario and Nova Scotia. There are slight variations between each province, but the standards developed ensure apprentices are trained to the highest standards and have the same general knowledge and skills.

Experienced tradespeople holding a Canadian Provincial Trade Ticket, issued in a province before it recognized the Inter-Provincial standard may by able to ask the Apprenticeships Board or Ministry of Education to review their credentials in order to obtain a certificate to work in that province.

In order to receive a certificate with the Inter-Provincial Red Seal, allowing you to work anywhere in Canada, most tradespeople prefer to take a Red Seal plumber exam preparation course. Getting ready for the exam is still essential to ensure you are successful and gain the coveted Red Seal.

A good first step is to contract your Provincial Apprenticeship Authority and ask them the best route to receive an Inter-Provincial Red Seal Plumber endorsement on your trade certificate. One essential pre-requisite to be approved to challenge the exam is 9,450 hours of trade related experience. Once you determine that you are eligible to apply to write the exam then you can begin preparing to challenge for the exam itself.

Studying for the Red Seal Plumber Exam

 The official Red Seal website has many helpful resources to assist individuals who are studying for the exam. Their Resource Centre includes a section on studying for the Red Seal Exam preparation tools including:

• Get Ready for your Red Seal Exam
• Sample Questions
• Exam Counselling Sheets

 The benefits of a skilled instructor to assist in your study and exam prep are a worthwhile investment however. Their role is to ensure that students develop the essential knowledge and skills to successfully challenge the Red Seal Plumber Examination.

Red Seal Plumber Exam Preparation Course

Red Seal is a valuable and in-demand endorsement to secure employment across Canada, so a Red Seal Plumber exam preparation course helps ensure that you will pass the exam on your first attempt.

Things to look for in your Exam Prep Course include:

• A skilled instructor with industry experience.
• An accredited course based on the competencies listed in the Red Seal Occupational Standard (RSOS).
• Practice quizzes for each of the core curriculum elements to ensure you are comfortable with the material and have been tested on your knowledge before you write the Red Seal exam.
• Online training if you work during the day and/or getting to a classroom would be a challenge.

Red Seal Plumber Course Curriculum

The Red Seal Plumber Exam preparation course at Ashton College offers the following course curriculum. Each session is given via live webinar and lasts 2 hours with additional study required using the assigned materials.

1. Common Occupational Skills and Safety
2. Installation, Testing, and Servicing of Sewage Treatment Systems
3. Installation, Testing, and Servicing of Water Service and Water Treatment Systems
4. Installation, Testing, and Servicing of Drainage, Waste and Vent Systems
5. Installation, Testing, and Servicing of Water Distribution
6. Installation, Testing, and Servicing of Low Pressure, Steam and Hydronic Heating and Cooling Systems
7. Installation, Testing, and Servicing of Fixtures and Appliances
8. Installation, Testing, and Servicing of Specialized Plumbing Systems, Fire Suppression / Separation Systems, and System Inspection
9. Rigging and Review

Duration and Study Time

 Studying for the exam requires additional time outside of a Red Seal Plumber exam preparation course. Ashton students are advised to commit to a minimum of 10 hours per week for independent and/or group activities.

The exam prep course itself takes 8 weeks to complete via once a week live webinars. Ashton’s next Red Seal Plumber exam preparation course begins April 16^th with webinars held on Thursdays from 6 – 8 PM PST.

Learning Objectives

 Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Describe the basic skills and practices related to plumbing
2. Identify methods of preparation and organization associated with plumbing projects
3. Describe the different systems typically dealt with in plumbing
4. Outline the processes of installation, testing, and servicing of various systems

Get the most from your Red Seal Plumber Exam Preparation Course

Key recommendations to ensure you get maximum value from your exam prep course are:

• Read the assigned material before each session
• Make notes on your reading material
• Be actively involved during each online session

These steps will aid the learning process and ensure you are ready and able to pass the Red Seal plumber exam.

This content is sponsored by Ashton College in collaboration with ConstructConnect^® Media. Ashton college offers Red seal exam preparation courses for eight trades: Carpenter, Plumber, Construction Electrician, Industrial Electrician, Automotive Service Technician, Dozer, Cook and Steamfitter/Pipefitter. To learn more about Ashton College, visit www.ashtoncollege.ca.