First-time Teaching Assistants
General training
All Teaching Assistants (TAs) must complete the following two general training modules:
- University of Toronto Basic Health and Safety Awareness training (EHS) (15 minutes, compensated by ECE)
- Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) training (30 minutes, compensated by AODA)
TA training
The Collective Agreement requires that new TAs complete four hours of TA training. These hours are compensated by ECE. (Including the general training modules above, new TAs will complete a total of 4.75 hours.)
Important: All newly hired TAs will receive an email from the TA Coordinator (within the first month of their contractual start date) that outlines the available modules and procedures for registration and tracking.
It is the TA’s responsibility to sign up for and complete this training, The sessions can fill up quickly, so you should sign up for them as soon as they become available.
You should aim to complete your required training (and track it in TAD) within the first month of your assignment.
TAs in multiple departments
Take new TA training only with the department that first hired you. Do not claim four hours in more than one department.
Email the TA Coordinators in other departments to inform them of your situation. If you have been hired by a non-engineering department, check your TA contract or contact your hiring unit to see if you’re eligible to use the FASE TA Training modules.
How to accrue your four hours
There are a few ways you can accrue your four hours of online training, split between the two hosting platforms (most likely administered through Quercus): the Teacher’s Assistants’ Training Program (TATP) and FASE TA Training:
- 4 hours TATP synchronous (offered during TA Week, late August/early September)
- 2 hours TATP asynchronous + 2 hours FASE TA Training asynchronous
- 4 hours TATP asynchronous
In each case, there are core modules that you must take and electives to choose from to reach your mandatory four hours. You may take any additional TA training you like, though no extra compensation is provided beyond the four-hour requirement.
Within the first month of their contractual start date, TA hires will receive an email from the TA Coordinator for details on available modules and registration. If you did not receive an email, contact ugta.ece@utoronto.ca.
How to register for modules
Visit the TATP Job Training page for more information on its program and how to enrol in modules.
Register for the FASE TA Training by filling out the preliminary form. It may take two to three business days for you to be added to the platform, which will have instructions on how to enrol in modules.
How to track your training
How you track your training depends on the type of module and the hosting platform.
- For TATP platform: take a screenshot of each module’s completion screen
- For FASE platform: take a screenshot of each module’s completion screen (the TA Coordinator will manually verify your completion with the Faculty)
In all cases, you will need to upload confirmation of the module’s completion to the Training Tracker on the TAD.
Returning Teaching Assistants
If you are a returning TA, you are entitled to two hours of paid training for each year you hold a placement. This training is optional and can be completed either through TATP or FASE.
Important: All returning TAs will receive an email from the TA Coordinator (within the first month of their contractual start date) that outlines the available courses and procedures for registration and recording.
Register for the FASE TA Training by filling out the preliminary form.
Visit the TATP Job Training page for more information on its program and how to enrol in modules.
Tracking your training
How you track your training depends on the type of module and the hosting platform.
- For TATP platform: take a screenshot of each module’s completion screen
- For FASE platform: take a screenshot of each module’s completion screen (the TA Coordinator will manually verify your completion with the Faculty)
In all cases, you will need to upload confirmation of the module’s completion to the Training Tracker on the TAD.