For skilled trades, a CV tells you what a candidate says they can do. A trade test shows you. Testing before selection is the single most effective way to reduce early departures and replacement costs.
What a good trade test looks like
- Based on the real job. A welder for pipework should be tested on the processes, positions and materials used on your site.
- Clear pass criteria. Agree in advance what a pass looks like, so that results are consistent between candidates and assessors.
- Recorded. Photographs of test pieces and a short written assessment let your team review results remotely.
- Proportionate. A test that takes a full day for a general worker discourages good candidates.
Who should assess?
Many employers send their own supervisors or join by video for the first batch, then rely on agreed criteria for later batches. Either approach works if the criteria are written down.
Questions to ask your recruitment partner
- Where will tests take place, and what equipment is available?
- Who conducts the test, and how are results recorded and shared?
- How are candidates who fail handled — and are they told why?
- Can tests be repeated for replacement candidates on the same criteria?
We arrange trade tests for skilled roles against criteria you approve. See how we screen candidates.