Gold Seal accreditation program

Course providers and institutions can receive Gold Seal accreditation for construction management courses, seminars, workshops and conferences by meeting the Gold Seal National Curriculum Standard. This Canadian accreditation assists prospective Gold Seal applicants and employers in identifying training material that has met the requirements and provides information on each of the eleven subject matter areas recommended in support of the Gold Seal Certification Program.  

The Gold Seal accreditation program was recently revised, with the new guidelines in effect June 1, 2024. Please review the guidelines and requirements below prior to applying for accreditation.

Revised guidelines

• Only Gold Seal accredited courses will be accepted for GSC and P.GSC applications.
• The credit value for all accredited courses is one credit per three hours of training up to a maximum of 10 credits per course (lunch and breaks are not included).
• The new accreditation renewal period is every three years.
• All safety training is Gold Seal accredited, following the new guidelines (one credit per three hours of training). Course providers may advertise safety course accreditation on their websites, outlines, and communication with students.
• All designations can now claim a maximum of 10 credits in safety training (equivalent to 30 hours). There is no credit limit for Safety Practitioners.
• The Tradesperson qualification will be worth 25 credits (previously 10 credits) under formal education.
• The Foreperson designation will now require 100 credits for the GSC application.

For Gold Seal applicants

• New applicants: As of June 1, 2024, new applicants enrolling in the program are required to take Gold Seal accredited courses to count towards their GSC application.
• P.GSC applicants: As of June 1, 2024, new P.GSCs or renewing P.GSCs are required to take Gold Seal accredited courses to count towards their P.GSC application.
• All CCA partner association-offered courses that are a minimum of three hours are automatically Gold Seal accredited.
• If an applicant took courses through a partner association before June 1, their credits will be considered under the new guidelines.
• Applicants can take courses through any of our preferred partner associations or register for other Gold Seal accredited training through another provider/institution. Please consult the accredited training page for a list of Gold Seal accredited courses.

For course providers and institutions

Course accreditation requirements

• The training must fall within one of the 11 National Curriculum Standard Subjects (see below).
• The training must last at least three hours (lunch and breaks excluded).
• Only applicable to individual course providers, not institutions: Course assessments, including quizzes, assignments, and exams, must be part of the course to be eligible for credits. Take-home assessments assigned outside of the entire course will not be considered for credits.
• The published course outline must include the course title, type, description, duration, and delivery method and be provided in the accreditation application.
• Course providers must create and provide each student with a certificate of completion/attendance. To receive a certificate, the student must have attended the entire course.
• Content must be presented by a qualified instructor or lecturer.

Accreditation evaluation guidelines

• A course evaluation is based on the information provided by the course provider and is solely for the confidential use of the Gold Seal Certification Program.
• Accreditation will apply only to an individual course or series of qualifying courses or conferences related to construction management. Only courses are accredited, not educational institutions.
• Courses or conferences cannot be exam preparatory, product or promotional endorsement.
• Course providers must continuously reevaluate course content to monitor its quality and ensure it meets current industry standards.
• Course providers are responsible for verifying the qualifications of individual instructors and monitoring their continued effectiveness in delivering the material.

Gold Seal National Curriculum Standard Subjects

1. Overview of the construction industry
2. Construction safety
3. Communication
4. Law and contracts
5. Estimating
6. Management of human resources
7. Jobsite controls
8. Planning and scheduling
9. Project cost control and accounting
10. Project management process
11. Construction and environment

Note: The Gold Seal Certification Program is a construction management program and only accredits construction management training. Specific technical courses and conferences related to topics such as BIM, LEED, AutoCAD, etc., are exempt.