The concept of a regional consortium was first conceived in 2000, when the pan-Canadian approach to apprenticeship training was introduced.

The consortium was to be a group of employers, colleges, government training consultants, and USW representatives along with Canadian Steel Trade & Employment Congress (CSTEC) representatives from within the local steel making community, meeting to discuss mutually beneficial apprenticeship issues while drawing on the resources of all the members.

The Hamilton Co-op Apprenticeship Pilot Project created a consortium referred to as the Steel Industry Trades Replacement Program (SITRP). Representatives from Dofasco, Stelco Hamilton, Stelco Lake Erie, Mohawk College and a Training Consultant from the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities (MTCU) participated in meetings held approximately every six months. The initial purpose of the consortium was to act as the sponsor when registering co-op students to apprenticeship agreements. It was agreed that the each employer would be responsible for all the training requirements as defined in the apprenticeship "Sponsor Agreement". This relieved the employers from a commitment to hire the co-op apprentices as full time employees upon their graduation. Those that were hired full-time were transferred from the consortium as a sponsor to the employer as a sponsor, to complete their apprenticeship.

The consortium pilot project resulted in approximately 300 apprentices being registered in the steel industry in Hamilton, most of which completed their apprenticeships. Even more important, the consortium provided a framework that could be adapted to allow related industries and workplaces to initiate and/or expand their apprenticeship programs in a way that minimized risks due to a lack of resources, costs and/or fear of poaching.

Due to economic factors in early 2007, many of the coop student summer work placements were cancelled. SITRP meetings were suspended as the number of work placements for co-op students dramatically decreased. The SITRP remained a consortium; however no meetings were scheduled.