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APPLY FOR THE PATHWAY

Your Future is bright with the IBEW and it starts now

If you are eligible to work in Canada (Canadian Citizen OR Permanent Resident) do a quick self check to see if you qualify for the program. If you have any questions about your eligibility, apply anyway and the Pathway partners will evaluate your eligibility for the 2025 intakes.

If you have any questions about financial support, transportation to the Oshawa location, or any other concern, apply and let the Pathway team know your concerns and with the help of our community partners, we will help you find a way past the barriers.

PARTICIPANT REQUIREMENTS

Canadian Citizens OR Permanent Residents are invited to consider the three requirements below. Participants must meet all requirements.

1. THE PATHWAY is for Women.

For the 2025 intakes, women and anyone identifying as a woman, two spirit, nonbinary or other non-cis gendered persons with a welcoming focus on Indigenous, racialized, and newcomer workers are welcome to apply. Indigenous men are welcome to apply for cohorts to be provided in Indigenous communities. Any such persons considering a second career or returning to work are also welcome to apply.

2. PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS

Participants are expected to meet the physical demands of working in the electrical trade such as lifting, carrying, climbing, standing, manual dexterity, etc. Program administrators will work with participants to address any needed accommodations to overcome barriers, such as fear of heights, to enable success in the program and in their future career as an electrical apprentice.

Note that fear of heights is an anxiety related experience which can be overcome with training, treatment, and support. The Pathway program provides Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training and MHFA trained Mentor support for participants, and participants can access mental health counselling and treatment through Pathway partners such as Trades Connect – The Neighbourhood Organization, or by accessing OHIP covered support. Recovery from fear of heights is possible.

3. REQUIRED HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS

The IBEW 353 Pathway Program complies with the high school credit requirements of the Electrical Apprentice Training Alliance (EATA) website:

https://www.electricalapprenticeship.ca/apply

Applicants must have at least two of the required high school credits before starting The IBEW 353 Pathway program 15 weeks of skills training. Participants must complete all three required high school credits before dispatch to a 10 week job placement.

Applicants who are one course away from meeting the course requirements listed below may be accepted on the condition that they complete their final course requirement on their own time, at their own expense by the end of the 15 week skills training component of the program. Applicants can be connected with a counselor from The Career Foundation or Contact North to help them navigate to complete any missing high school credits.

Participants must have at least one Math, one Physics and one English from the high school credits listed below, and listed on the Electrical Apprentice Training Alliance (EATA) website:

https://www.electricalapprenticeship.ca/apply

Please review your high school transcripts carefully to confirm that you have completed at least two of the required high school credits before submitting your application to the Pathway program. The EATA website provides answers to questions about transcripts from outside of Ontario, college or university credits, etc.

https://www.electricalapprenticeship.ca/faq

Applicants must have at least one Math credit:

MCR3U Functions, MCF3M Functions & Applications

MHF4U Advanced Functions, MCV4U Calculus & Vectors

MDM4U Mathematics of Data Mgmt, MCT4C Mathematics for College Tech.

MAP4C Foundations for College Math

MTT4G, MAT4A, MCB4U, MCG4U, MGA4U are also acceptable.

Applicants must have at least one English credit:

ENG4C, ENG4U, ENG4E.

ENG4A, ENG4G are also acceptable.

Applicants must have at least one Physics credit:

SPH3U, SPH4U, SPH4C

SPH4A, SPH4G are also acceptable.

Applicants must have completed at least two of the three required high school credits before applying for the Pathway program. For those accepted into the program, all required high school credits must be completed before dispatch to a job placement. Applicants can choose to complete courses online, for example: https://www.ilc.org/

To start your application process, send a message to The Pathway

There may be three cohorts at Oshawa in 2025 (April 14, August 18, and December 8, 2025) and two Indigenous cohorts (May 12 in Toronto, and September 8, 2025 in an Indigenous community to be determined). Applicants can check this website in March 2025 for updates on final dates and locations.

Please email cindyk@ibew353.org with subject heading “Application for the Pathway Program”. In your email, include your full name and how you found this program. Inquiries for the Toronto April 14 cohort must be received no later than Wednesday February 26, 2025.