The situation
Since 1903, the Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers have taught their craft through hands-on apprenticeship and traditional knowledge transfer, with one generation passing on their knowledge to the next. But its training arm, the Insulation Industry International Apprenticeship and Training Fund (IIIATF), needed a modern, accessible approach and an organized system to move from paper-based lessons to an online platform.
Insights
As IIIATF explored options to modernize its apprenticeship training, they recognized the need for a system that could mirror the union’s training structure. If every training center could maintain its unique local setup while operating under one system, then every apprentice across North America could access the same materials and curriculum to support their in-person or remote training.
We’re a hundred-year-old trade built on teaching by doing. Canvas helps us keep that tradition alive while opening it up to everyone, anywhere.
Sam Tafolla
Assistant National Administrator, IIIATF
Solution
The Insulation Industry International Apprenticeship and Training Fund (IIIATF) adopted Canvas, and longtime coordinators began transferring thousands of physical training materials into the platform, adding regional details and instantly sharing updates. With guidance from the Instructure Strategic Consulting team, IIIATF uses features like translation tools to build digital courses more efficiently.
Thirty-six of the 86 centers are active, with instructors designing and running training directly in Canvas. All local centers will transition to Canvas by the end of 2025.
Outcomes
IIIATF has been able to preserve a century of trade skills and a culture of apprenticeship while modernizing training to help people build skills and lead from wherever they are.
They couldn't edit something before because it was a giant PDF that we housed. Now, they can go in and edit it, replace the pictures, create something. It allows our local jurisdictions to customize the training to fit their needs.
Sam Tafolla
Assistant National Administrator, IIIATF
Insulation Industry International Apprenticeship and Training Fund (IIIATF)