The apprentice will learn the Trade by doing the work under the watchful eyes of skilled and experienced Journeymen. The work itself may be almost anything you can imagine. Electricians work in the mud and dust of the construction project, in all kinds of weather inside and outside. You may be digging a ditch, handling heavy conduit or appliances, pulling heavy cable, wading in mud or climbing in the steel. You may be running small conduit and pulling small wire for lights and receptacles, or trying to find out why a motor doesn’t run when the start button is pushed. You may be working in a controlled environment, making connections to a computer, networking and using this equipment to perform job functions, or freezing in a steady downpour to unload a heavy piece of gear. You will be installing and terminating fiber optics cable and installing and wiring programmable controls. The variety of work you may be expected to perform, the weather and other conditions under which you may be expected to perform it, are almost limitless. The work is usually physical, often dirty and it usually requires that you use your mind at the same time. It may be a new building just going up or a job within an existing building or facility. In any case, the job will cause you to be around moving machinery, noise, dirt, poor footing, falling objects, construction debris and any number of other hazards.

The General Aptitude Test Battery is a 3-hour test that measures the applicants abilities in Algebra and Reading Comprehension which are essential to perform well as an electrician. Extensive research and actual Journeyman experience data was employed into the development of this test. The test is administered at the J.A.T.C. training center. Click here to view examples of the aptitude test questions.

A commercial/industrial apprentice is paid a percentage of what a Journeyman Electrician earns, with the percentage determined by the apprentice’s progress in training. You will start at 50% of Journeyman scale. The pay will increase to 60% at 2000 work hours plus satisfactory completion of the 1st year of school. Pay increases are not automatic, but are dependent upon progress and cooperation in training. Raises will be at 3500 hours, 5000 hours, 6500 hours and 8000 hours, plus satisfactory completion of school each year.

Apprentices complete a 4-year residential or 5-year inside apprenticeship program which is registered, in compliance and approved by the Bureau of Apprenticeship (U.S. Dept. of Labor). The program covers the entire spectrum of residential, commercial, and industrial electrical installations. The curriculum includes a wide range of education in areas such as Electrical Theory, Lighting and Power Distribution, Industrial Controls, Communication Equipment, Testing Equipment, High Voltage Distribution and The National Electrical Code. Apprentices also cover specialized areas such as: Instrumentation, Communications (Networks), Programmable Logic Controllers, Computers, Fire Alarm Systems, Welding, and Job Site Management & Supervision. The five years of school also includes: First Aid, CPR, and OSHA Training—this allows the apprentice to be aware of safety concerns and to have the ability to act accordingly in an emergency situation. The curriculum is fully developed and constantly updated by a full-time staff at the electrical training ALLIANCE. Each section of the curriculum is written and monitored by personnel with actual experience and expertise in that particular field and they are in constant contact with all the local electrical apprenticeship programs throughout the United States & Canada in order to maintain and continue to improve the curriculum.

Apprenticeship is the method most skilled trades use to train new workers for a particular craft. The apprentice and the sponsoring parties sign an agreement, called an indenture, which sets forth the duration of the apprenticeship and responsibilities of each to the other. The electrical apprenticeship will consist of a minimum of 8000 hours on the job training for the commercial/industrial apprenticeship or 4800 hours on the job training for the residential apprenticeship. In addition to the work hours, a minimum of 180 hours per year in the classroom for five years for commercial/industrial or four years for residential. The training will be conducted in accordance with Standards registered with the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, U.S. Department of Labor.

All applications are checked to verify compliance with minimum requirements. Those who qualify and who have submitted the required documents on time are eligible to take the aptitude test. Those who achieve qualifying scores are scheduled for an interview with the Apprenticeship Committee. Once interviewed, applicants will be given an adjusted (interview) score. Their score will be properly recorded in the record book where it shall remain fixed for a period of two full calendar years; unless they are properly ranked and selected at some time prior to the end of the two years. (Note: Or unless, after 90 days from the date of their initial interview, they can show evidence that they have satisfactorily completed (2) trade related education or training courses, or they have gained 450 hours of experience in the electrical construction industry, which may qualify them for an additional interview prior to the end of the two years, with approval of the Committee.)

All apprentices are covered under the same health insurance and retirement pensions as the Journeyman and Residential Wireman (graduate electricians).