Third Class

Applicants may apply for an examination by logging to their ABSA Account. Applicants that do not have access to their accounts may apply for access by contacting exams@absa.ca and providing the following information:

• Name
• Date of Birth
• File Number
• Preferred Email Address

Applicants may also apply for an examination by submitting an AB-66 "Application for Power Engineers Examination" form, a minimum of 5 business days prior to the requested examination date. Available examination dates can be found on the Power Engineer Examination Schedule.

Applicants submitting operating experience must submit an  AB-66a “Declaration for Power Engineers Experience” form.

To qualify to take a 3rd Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency examination, a candidate must hold a 4th Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency*.

NOTE: A 3rd Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency examination must consist of questions relating to the subjects contained in the current reference syllabus established by the Administrator for the 3rd Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency examination, and must be divided into 2 parts, lettered A and B.

The examination consists of four (4) examination papers, each of 3 ½ hours duration. Each of the Papers A1, A2, B1 and B2 examination consists of 150 multiple-choice questions.

NOTE: Effective January 1st, 2023 all 3rd class examination papers will consist of 100 multiple-choice questions and be 3 hours in duration.

To pass a 3rd Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency examination, a candidate must obtain at least 65% of the total marks allotted for each examination paper.

Detailed information in regard to this examination can be found in the Third Class Power Engineers Reference Syllabus (AB-53). A candidate can write the examination in any one of the examination locations listed in our Examination Schedule.

Qualification for 3rd class certification:

To qualify for a 3rd Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency, a candidate must

(a) pass the 3rd Class Power Engineering Certificate of Competency examination, and

(b) have been employed for a period of

(i) 12 months as a chief power engineer, shift engineer, assistant shift engineer or assistant engineer in a power plant that is required by this Regulation to employ in the chief power engineer, shift engineer, assistant shift engineer and assistant engineer positions, persons who hold at least a 4th Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency in that position,

(ii)12 months as a chief power engineer in a power plant consisting of oilfield once-through boilers that have a capacity exceeding 1000 kW,

(iii) 48 months in a heating plant that has a capacity exceeding 3000 kW, while holding a 4th Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency issued after September 1, 1998.

(iv) 1/3 of the period of time specified in subclause (i) or (ii), and  have been employed for a period of 8 months in a pressure plant in an operating capacity satisfactory to the Administrator, or

(v) 1/2 of the period of time specified in subclause (i) or (ii), and have been employed for a period of 12 months in a capacity satisfactory to the Administrator in the design, construction, commissioning, installation, repair, maintenance or operation of pressure equipment to which the Act applies,

c) 24 months of the experience required by subsection (1)(b)(iii) to a candidate who has successfully completed a course in power engineering that is satisfactory  to the Administrator.

Note:
• • The Administrator may grant 6 months’ credit towards the work experience outlined in (i) and (ii) above for the successful completion of a 3rd class power engineering course or  to the holder of a degree in mechanical engineering from a university satisfactory to the Administrator.
• • Graduates of a 2-year power engineering technology program satisfactory to the Administrator may be granted a credit equivalent to 9 months of the experience required by ((i) or (ii) above.