IATSE Training Trust Fund

What IATSE Training Trust Fund does

The IATSE Training Trust Fund (TTF) is a 501(c)(9) tax-exempt joint labor-management trust fund founded on June 22, 2011, through an agreement between DADCO and IATSE. It is governed by ERISA and the Department of Labor under Taft-Hartley provisions and is headquartered in Burbank, California. TTF delivers safety, craft skills, and professional development training to the IATSE membership across the United States and Canada, serving active IATSE members, local union chapters, and employers signatory to IATSE collective bargaining agreements.

The core technology is the TTF Courses & Resources platform, a learning management system offering self-paced online courses accessible via web browser and a mobile application on iOS and Android. The platform houses the TTF Safety First! library (20 safety courses with 40 micro-courses), the Train the Trainer series (6 courses), craft skills courses, OSHA 10 and 30-Hour curricula (General Industry and Construction with entertainment-specific case studies), and integration with LinkedIn Learning's 20,000+ course catalog. Supporting systems include the Training Tracker database for compliance record-keeping and a searchable Trainer Database connecting local unions with qualified instructors. Delivery spans live virtual classes via Zoom, self-paced online modules, instructor-led training through local unions, and the Borrow Our OSHA Trainer in-person program.

TTF is funded exclusively by collectively bargained employer contributions calculated per hour worked under IATSE collective bargaining agreements. All training programs are provided free to eligible participants, with reimbursement programs offsetting certification costs (First Aid/CPR/AED up to $100, ETCP up to $550, SPRAT up to $1,600). Strategic partnerships with AVIXA (15-year relationship), LinkedIn Learning, Contract Services, OSHA Training Institute Education Centers, and equipment vendors such as Sunbelt Rentals, Herc Rentals, JLG, and United Rentals extend the training portfolio. No revenue is publicly disclosed.

Name

IATSE Training Trust Fund

Legal name

IATSE Entertainment and Exhibition Industries Training Trust Fund

Website

https://iatsetrainingtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The IATSE Training Trust Fund is a 501(c)(9) joint labor-management trust fund that delivers safety, OSHA, and craft skills training to IATSE entertainment and exhibition workers across the US and Canada, funded by collectively bargained employer contributions and delivered through a learning management system, mobile app, and local union chapters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Training Services

NAICS

Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical & Digital Skills Training (BPACANAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Train-the-Trainer & Instructor Enablement Services (BPAEANAL)

Keywords

• Workforce safety training
• Entertainment industry training
• OSHA certification courses
• Craft skills development
• Labor management training

Headquarters

HQ city

Burbank

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Employer Contributions: TTF is funded through collectively bargained employer contributions. Signatory employers make contributions to the TTF based on negotiated amounts in their collective bargaining agreements for hours worked. This is the primary funding mechanism for all TTF training programs and services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The IATSE Training Trust Fund delivers industry-specific safety and craft skills training to IATSE workers in the entertainment and exhibition industries through a proprietary learning management system (TTF Courses & Resources), iOS/Android mobile app, live OSHA 10 and 30-hour virtual and in-person classes, and certification reimbursement programs. All training is provided at no cost to eligible beneficiaries, with the fund financed entirely by collectively bargained employer contributions.

Product overview

IATSE Training Trust Fund operates as a unified training platform combining multiple learning delivery methods. The core offering is the TTF Courses & Resources Learning Platform, a learning management system providing self-paced online courses accessible via computer or mobile app. This platform houses three main course libraries: TTF Safety First! (20 safety courses), Train the Trainer (6 courses), and Craft Skills Courses. The organization also delivers live instruction through OSHA 10 and 30-hour courses (General Industry and Construction formats), virtual webinars via Zoom, and classroom-based training. Strategic partnerships extend the portfolio: LinkedIn Learning provides access to 20,000+ courses, while the AVIXA partnership offers AV technician training and CTS certification prep. Supporting services include Trainer Database (trainer matching), Training Tracker (course record management), and various reimbursement programs for certifications, courses, and ESTA TSP membership. The program serves IATSE workers covered by collective bargaining agreements through a joint labor-management structure governed by ERISA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TTF Courses & Resources Learning Platform A comprehensive online learning management system providing industry-specific safety, craft skills, and trainer training for IATSE workers through self-paced courses, accessible via web browser and mobile app.
• TTF Safety First! Online Courses A library of 20 online safety courses covering hazard communication, fall protection, electrical safety, ergonomics, and rigging safety, plus 40 micro-courses, with case studies tailored to IATSE crafts.
• OSHA 10-Hour Courses OSHA Outreach Training Program courses in General Industry and Construction formats, with case studies and content focused on entertainment industry work for IATSE workers.
• OSHA 30-Hour Courses Comprehensive OSHA training for supervisors, department heads, keys, and workers with safety responsibility, in General Industry and Construction formats focused on entertainment industry hazards.
• Train the Trainer Series A six-course program covering adult learning theory, training design, presentation techniques, assessment creation, and adapting pre-developed content for local trainers teaching safety and craft skills classes.
• Craft Skills Courses Courses providing IATSE workers with essential skills to excel in their craft and promote workplace professionalism, including Customer Service for the Live Events Industry, Professional Etiquette, and STEP UP: Respect in the Workplace.
• LinkedIn Learning Subscription Free subscription providing IATSE workers access to LinkedIn Learning's library of 20,000+ expert-led online courses in over 10 languages, covering business, creative, and technical skills.
• AVIXA Partnership Program Partnership with AVIXA providing free Elite Membership, free online introductory AV training, 25% discount on in-person classes, 10% discount on virtual classes, CTS exam discounts, and access to AVIXA certificate programs.
• Borrow Our OSHA Trainer Program Program enabling local unions to have a TTF OSHA Outreach Trainer deliver in-person OSHA 10-Hour classes at their local, with TTF covering travel, lodging, and meals for the trainer (minimum 20 students required).
• Develop a Local OSHA Trainer Program Reimbursement program helping locals develop in-house OSHA Outreach Trainers by covering tuition costs for OSHA Training Institute courses (OSHA 500/501 General Industry, OSHA 510/511 Construction).
• Certification Reimbursement Program Reimbursement program for IATSE workers obtaining approved industry certifications including First Aid/CPR/AED (up to $100), Mental Health First Aid (up to $125), CTS (up to $300), ETCP (up to $550), SPRAT (up to $1,600), and Lift Operator (up to $150).
• Course Reimbursement Program Fixed-amount reimbursements to local unions for group safety or craft skills training courses, with maximum amounts ranging from $100–$1,750 per course (Lift courses $150/person, CPR/First Aid/AED $100/person, Mental Health First Aid $1,750, Other Safety up to $1,200/course, Craft Skills up to $750/course).
• OSHA Online Course Reimbursement Pilot program reimbursing IATSE workers for OSHA 30-Hour General Industry or Construction online courses from OSHA-authorized providers, up to $175 per course.
• ESTA TSP Membership Reimbursement Reimbursement for IATSE workers joining or renewing ESTA Technical Standards Program Working Group membership, covering the $150 annual participation fee.
• Motion Picture Television Workers Online Safety Courses Online safety courses for workers covered by Area Standards Agreement or Production Workers' Agreement, including A-General Production Safety and HP1/HP2 Harassment Prevention courses developed in partnership with Contract Services.
• Training Tracker Web-based searchable database enabling local unions and employers to track safety and craft skills training completed by IATSE workers, with reporting capabilities and industry-approved certification tracking.
• Trainer Database Online searchable directory of trainers throughout IATSE who can provide safety and craft skills classes for local unions, searchable by department, craft, format, location, and certifications.
• TTF Safety First! Webinars Live webinar series delivered via Zoom covering safety topics including Welding & Cutting, Noise Exposure, Basic Entertainment Safety, Wardrobe and Costume Department Safety, and Hazard Identification.
• Computer Essentials Curriculum Two-part course teaching basic computer skills including Internet access, email management, and common writing/editing applications, with eight key resources including presentations, scripts, and handouts.

Quantifiable outcome

• ETCP Recognized Training Program status since August 18, 2021 for TTF Safety First! electrical and rigging courses
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• AVIXAflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 201015-year partnership providing free elite AVIXA membership to IATSE workers. Includes free online introductory AV training, 25% discount on in-person classes, 10% discount on virtual classes, exclusive video content, CTS exam discounts, free trade show floor access including InfoComm, free AVIXA Standards downloads, and members-only events. The partnership has driven professionalism in the AV industry through free training and a certificate program.
• LinkedIn LearningcoreTechnology or IntegrationFree subscription providing IATSE workers access to 20,000+ expert-led online courses in over 10 languages. TTF supports Local Union Curator role allowing locals to upload content, create learning paths, assign content, and track completions.
• Contract ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide Motion Picture Television (MPTV) workers with online safety courses including A-General Production Safety and Harassment Prevention courses for workers covered by Area Standards Agreement or Production Workers' Agreement.
• OSHA Training Institute Education CenterscoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized OSHA training centers where local unions develop OSHA Outreach Trainers. TTF reimburses locals for tuition costs of OSHA 510/511 and OSHA 500/501 courses required to become authorized trainers.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• National Safety Council (NSC): One of the largest US safety training organizations offering OSHA-aligned general industry courses. Does not specialize in entertainment but competes for the same employer safety training budgets and serves as a credible alternative OSHA training provider.

Direct peers

• International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE Local 600): Sister IATSE local providing craft-specific training programs for camera operators in motion picture and television production. Operates under the same IATSE union umbrella with comparable worker safety, craft advancement, and certification training missions.
• Electrical Training Alliance (IBEW-NECA): The largest US joint labor-management apprenticeship and training organization for the electrical industry, funded by employer contributions under a Taft-Hartley structure. Operates the same trust fund model with comparable OSHA curriculum, certification pipelines, and distributed trainer delivery - making it the closest structural analog to IATSE TTF.
• Finishing Trades Institute (FTI): International union-sponsored training trust for finishing trades (painters, glaziers, drywall finishers, floor coverers). Operates the same jointly governed training fund model with employer contributions funding apprenticeship and continuing education programs.
• United Association (UA) Training Department: Training arm of the United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Service Techs. Provides joint labor-management apprenticeship training under similar trust fund governance, with comparable OSHA, certification, and continuing education programs.
• International Training Institute (Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning): Joint labor-management training organization for sheet metal workers and HVAC technicians, governed by a parallel Taft-Hartley apprenticeship and journeyman training model. Direct structural match to TTF in operating mechanics, content domains, and funding model.
• Laborers' International Training Fund (Laborers' International Union): Joint labor-management trust providing OSHA, safety, and apprenticeship training to construction laborers across the US and Canada. Closely comparable operating model with parallel employer contribution funding structure.

Broad incumbents

• American Film Institute (AFI): Major degree-granting film and television institution with Conservatory, Cinematography, and certificate programs. Address similar entertainment craft development goals via formal education rather than a labor-management training fund model.
• SAG-AFTRA Foundation: Educational and emergency assistance foundation serving SAG-AFTRA performers in entertainment. Offers life-skills, financial wellness, and career development programs to entertainment union members - adjacent training mission within a different entertainment union with broader scope and larger budgets.

Emerging players

• Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas: Independent entertainment technical training program focused on entertainment industry craft skills (rigging, lighting, audio). Narrower in scope and smaller in scale than TTF, but overlaps on craft and entertainment safety training.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IATSETTF

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IATSE Training Trust Fund