In 2001, labour and management partners set up a training trust fund. Each partner committed to a equal contribution per work-hour to the fund.
The labour partner is the Ontario Sheet Metal Workers and Roofers Conference. Members belong to the Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA), which represents 150,000 skilled craftspersons in the unionized sheet metal industry in the United States and Canada. Ten locals from across Ontario are represented on the trust fund board.
The management partner is the Ontario Sheet Metal and Air Handling Group (OSM). OSM is a provincial not-for-profit trade association that serves more than 400 contractors who manufacture, install, service, and maintain sheet metal work associated with air handling systems and related processes. Ten representatives from OSM sit on the trust fund board.
Local joint apprenticeship committees are also important partners. They coordinate between employers, local unions, and apprentices to help ensure that apprentices meet the requirements for the program.
Investing Through
Industry Partnerships