FITCO is the Fitness Test for Ontario Correctional Officer Applicants. If you are applying for a provincial correctional officer position, it helps to understand the assessment before choosing how to prepare.
Ontario's recruiting guidance says applicants must pass FITCO during the application process and again during training at the Ontario Correctional Services College. It also describes a screening component to establish medical fitness to participate. Check the official Ontario correctional officer guidance for your current requirements.
What does FITCO include?
Ontario lists three performance components:
- Search station: a task assessing the ability to search a cell.
- Emergency response circuit: tasks related to responding to emergencies.
- Aerobic shuttle run: an assessment of capacity for physically demanding work.
The official guidance links the FITCO booklet with protocols, standards and preparation information. Use that material and your testing provider's instructions for the details that apply to your appointment. This guide concerns Ontario provincial corrections, rather than every correctional service or public-safety role.
Keep preparation and official testing separate
Working with a personal trainer is a way to prepare. It does not replace an official testing appointment or provide an employment fitness certificate.
Follow Ontario's current booking instructions to arrange your FITCO with a listed provider. Ask the organizer about required screening, documents and appointment procedures. Keep those administrative steps on your checklist alongside your training.
Start with what you can do now
Before choosing a preparation plan, write down your current training routine and the parts of the assessment you feel least prepared for. Be specific. “I have not practised a shuttle run” gives a coach something clearer to discuss than “I need to get fitter.”
Include how much time you have before testing, which days you can train and what equipment you can access. If your test date is not set, say so. You can still discuss a starting point without inventing a deadline.
Do not let one component take over the conversation
It is easy to focus on the shuttle run because it is familiar or easy to measure. Keep the full official component list in view when discussing your needs.
Ask how your preparation will address the areas relevant to you and how progress will be reviewed. If you want help understanding shuttle practice, our guide to shuttle-run setup, pacing and technique covers practical details to discuss with your coach.
Discuss FITCO preparation in Mississauga
At Forever Aesthetic, law-enforcement fitness preparation is our specialty. Tell us you are preparing for Ontario corrections so we can discuss your goals in the right context.
The first step is an inquiry about fitness preparation. We respond with availability to arrange a 60-minute assessment. We finish by reviewing your results and recommending a training frequency based on your starting point and schedule.
Forever Aesthetic is an independent training provider, is not affiliated with Ontario's correctional services and does not administer the official FITCO. Follow current ministry and testing-provider instructions. Official source checked October 16, 2026.