Professional Designation

For the first time in the history of Ontario education, teachers in this province have a professional designation. In fact, this is a first for Canadian educators.

The Ontario College of Teachers launched the Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) designation in the fall of 2009.

The College Council grants the OCT designation to members in good standing. The designation signifies that they:

  • are certified and qualified to teach in Ontario’s publicly funded schools
  • possess distinct knowledge and skills specific to teaching
  • engage in ongoing learning throughout their career
  • belong to a community of highly educated, responsible and caring practitioners who are committed to helping Ontario students develop and succeed.

Teaching was one of the only self- regulated professions in the province without a professional designation. Most people are familiar with RN, CA, and PEng as designations for nurses, chartered accountants and engineers. The abbreviations become common fixtures in everyday language, symbolic of the professions and respected titles for their practitioners.

OCT lets students, parents and the public know that teachers belong to a community of highly educated professionals, people whose practice is guided and informed by the profession’s standards of practice and ethical standards.

Symbol of respect

College members indicated they favoured a professional designation through the College’s annual member survey, focus groups and an extensive electronic poll designed and managed by expert firms outside the College. They told us they wanted a symbol of personal, professional achievement.

OCT is that symbol.

The College includes the professional designation on certificates, correspondence, the public register and Council decisions.

OCT is not a lifetime award. Only those who maintain their good standing with the College can use the designation. Those who resign, retire, fail to pay their membership fees, or whose teaching certificate has been revoked or suspended for disciplinary reasons are ineligible to use it.

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