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Official standard. This page transcribes or closely follows an official Skilled Trades Ontario, Electrical Safety Authority, or IATSE document. It is provided for reference and convenience only — it is not the authoritative record. Always confirm current requirements against the original source or Skilled Trades Ontario.
IATSE Local 873 (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local 873) is the Ontario union most directly involved in training and sponsoring 269E apprentices, and is the source of the trade's recruitment materials.
- Source: IATSE Local 873 Apprenticeship Program flyer
What apprenticeship sponsorship means
An apprenticeship is a training agreement between an apprentice and a sponsor/employer (which can be a union local acting in that capacity), registered with Employment Ontario. About 90% of an apprenticeship is on-the-job training provided by the sponsor/employer; the rest is the in-school Curriculum.
Local 873 (through its training contact) can help connect prospective apprentices with sponsor/employers, and answers questions about the program at training@iatse873.com.
Why train through the union
From Local 873's recruitment material, apprentices and sponsor/employers both benefit: apprentices become qualified "journeypersons," and employers gain a pipeline of workers with current, standardized knowledge and technique. Ontario also offers financial incentives on both sides of this relationship:
- Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit — for corporations/unincorporated businesses that hire apprentices in eligible trades.
- Employer Signing Bonus — for employers registering new apprentices in high-demand sectors.
- Apprenticeship Scholarship and Loans for Tools (Ontario) and the federal Apprenticeship Incentive Grant / Apprenticeship Completion Grant — for apprentices.
Other entry pathways
- Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) — lets high school students register as apprentices while earning co-op credits; contact a guidance counsellor, technical teacher, or local Employment Ontario apprenticeship staff.
- Co-Op Diploma Apprenticeship — college students receive apprenticeship training while earning a diploma.
- Pre-Apprenticeship Training — helps unemployed individuals build skills and eligibility for a specific trade.