Hello,
As we reflect on the past year, the iFTI has demonstrated growth, collaboration, and innovation in creating and delivering high-quality learning experiences. From the development of new courses to refining our current training resources, iFTI is committed to its overall mission and purpose.
This report summarizes our key accomplishments, while setting the stage for continued success in the coming year.
- iFTI Class Highlights:
- Conducted a total of 69 iFTI instructor classes, 9 of which were delivered through the help of COE-approved Instructional Service Centers (ISCs) at District Councils 16 and 30 and 1 off-campus class at DC 77. We have 1,046 completions from 427 class participants.
- VSL Program – iFTI conducted FTI 1005 Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL) last July 11, 2024.
- Health and Safety Symposium
- Check out the course offerings for 2025. From the LMS homepage, click the blue box marked 2025 iFTI Training Calendar.
- Sponsored Trainings at the District Councils:
- COR and Trade Curriculum Development Updates:
- The Curriculum team created 135 new courses (DC-specific, trade-related, FTI, and third party) and updated 154 courses with the help of subject matter experts. These courses are available in the iFTI Learning Management System (LMS). Follow the monthly LMS alerts to stay updated.
- The Tradeshow curriculum currently has six courses under review and are being evaluated to ensure content accuracy, relevancy, and alignment with industry standards before republishing to the LMS. One or more Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are providing input to address any outdated information, while instructional designers are enhancing the materials for improved engagement and clarity. Once updates are finalized, the courses will undergo a final quality assurance check to guarantee they meet organizational expectations.
- The Hydro Blasting committee has reviewed all eight of the new HydroBlasting courses and have been approved by the Hydro Blasting Curriculum Committee members. The courses are now in the design process, and will be further reviewed by the committee before final publishing in the iFTI LMS.
- iFTI Commercial Paint Curriculum Committee
- Health and Safety Committee
- iFTI LMS Highlights:
- The Curriculum Team conducted LMS Admin refresher trainings for all District Councils last March 2024 and several Zoom trainings for new DC admins and trainers. To review, watch the recordings posted in the LMS.
- The iFTI LMS is making strides in expanding our training resources for Spanish-speaking members. We currently have 31 online courses including OSHA 10 and OSHA 30. We have also added new foreign languages to our catalog: Portuguese and Ukrainian.
- Extended the assistance to our affiliates by covering the costs of Third Party Distance Learning courses in the LMS until June 30, 2025. The Third Party online library expanded to 11 single paid courses, 178 open enrollment courses, 45 French courses, and 31 Spanish courses.
- Major Courses added to the Catalog include:
- Member Orientation – IUPAT and the iFTI Curriculum team have developed a new orientation training program for the HQ campus and DCs.
- Microsoft Online Courses are back in the LMS.
- COR 1027 Artificial Intelligence (AI)*
- Council on Occupational Education (COE) Highlights:
- COE Workshop @iFTI
- IUPAT Members continue their current COE positions: Tom Aasheim, Chair of Apprenticeship Affinity Group and Thomas Pfundstein, PhD as COE Commissioner.
- The Associate Instructor Training Program has 358 graduates.
- The Master Instructor Training Program has 15 graduates.
- New and Continued Educational Partnerships:
- The iFTI has extended our partnership with Rosetta Stone through November 2025 to build our members’ fluency and confidence to speak new languages. In 2024, 57 members spent 269 hours in the program learning a new language.
- Partnered with Kretus, an international distributor of resinous coatings that is family owned for over 30 years. Kretus offers application training and certification for members who take their series of classes.
- Susan Hardwood Grant (SHG)
- Instructor Development Updates:
- Attended/Presented at the following Conventions/Summits/Conferences:
- COABE in Nashville, TN
- Flooring Summit/Curriculum
- CAEL Conference in New Orleans
- Institute for Apprenticeship and Education
- International Foundation DEIA Conference last Nov 2024
- TechLearn Conference in Austin, Texas last September
- IUPAT 33rd General Convention
- FIF 2024
Happy Holidays!
iFTI