The entry level certification. Where most artisans start, and what it actually gets you.
Trade Test Grade III is the first of three certification levels issued by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment through its Skills Development and Certification Department. It is the entry point. If you have never been formally certified in your trade, this is where you begin.
People write it several ways. Grade 3, Grade III, TT3, Trade Test 3. They all mean the same certificate.
You do not need a degree. You do not need WAEC to sit a trade test. What is being assessed is whether you can do the work.
Grade III assesses the foundation of the trade. In broad terms that means:
The test has a practical part and a written part. The exact content depends on your trade, so ask the centre for the syllabus that applies to you before you sit.
It gives you a recognised document proving you are trained in your trade. That matters for entry level work with contractors, for companies that will not hire uncertified hands, and for any employer who checks credentials rather than taking your word.
Be clear about what it is not. Grade III is the starting level. For senior site roles, for government contract work, and for most overseas applications, employers look for Grade II or Grade I. Grade III is the first rung, not the whole ladder.
It is also the route to the rest. You move up by gaining experience and sitting the next level.
The three levels run Grade III at entry, Grade II at intermediate, and Grade I at advanced. Each step needs more experience and tests more.
Nobody skips from nothing to Grade I. If somebody offers to sell you one, you already know what that is.
ServHub Training is accredited by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to conduct trade test examinations, and we examine on site at our Port Harcourt centre. You train here and you test here.
Trades we train and examine:
Note that the Ministry uses its own trade categories. Solar and inverter work, for example, is usually examined under electrical installation. Ask us which category your trade falls under and we will tell you plainly.
Our Foundation programme runs 90 days and is built for exactly this. It is for people starting with no formal training. The certification fee is included, along with materials and lifetime alumni access.
Around 60 per cent of our students start from zero. You will not be the only one.
If you already hold a certificate and want to confirm it is in the records, read our guide on how to verify a trade test certificate.
We are direct about what we deliver and clearer about what we do not. A Grade III certificate proves you are trained. It does not guarantee a job and it does not guarantee a visa. Anybody who tells you otherwise is selling you something.
💬 Ask About Grade 3Trade Test Grade III is the entry level certification issued by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment. It certifies that an artisan has the basic practical and theoretical ability required in their trade.
No. The trade test assesses practical skill in your trade, not academic results. You do not need WAEC or any school certificate to sit Grade III.
Our Foundation programme runs 90 days, which covers the training and the examination. If you already have the skill and only need the certification, ask us and we will tell you what applies to your situation.
No. The grades are sequential and each level requires experience. Grade I normally requires several years of trade experience or an existing Grade II certification.
Usually not on its own. Foreign employers and authorities generally look for higher levels of certification alongside experience. Grade III is the starting point of that journey, not the end of it.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Government processes change. If something here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.