The Institut de formation aérospatiale (IFA) grew out of the need expressed by many companies in the aerospace industry to have a single location for in-company training at all levels of schooling.

The Centre for Aerospace Manpower Activities in Quebec (CAMAQ) is the original driving force of IFA, which constitutes a one-stop service for in-company training in the aerospace sector. The Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM) joined CAMAQ in order to set up IFA in November 2005.

Each year, IFA offers on average approximately 7,000 hours of training, to more than 8,000 participants.