Who runs IBEW apprenticeships
The union and the contractors run the program together. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) set up a Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee, or JATC, in each area. Some areas use an area-wide committee called an AJATC. You apply to the committee that covers the area where you live and want to work, not to a national office.
The electrical training ALLIANCE is the national training arm for the IBEW and NECA. It writes the curriculum and training standards, and the local committees deliver the training. Its aptitude test is still widely called the NJATC test, after the alliance's old name. Each local committee can add its own requirements on top of the national baseline, so read the local rules before you apply.
The four classifications
There are four apprenticeship tracks. Inside wiremen do commercial and industrial construction: conduit, power, lighting, controls, motors and fire alarm. Outside linemen build and maintain transmission and distribution lines. Residential wiremen wire houses and multi-family buildings. VDV installer technicians handle voice, data, video, security and other low voltage systems.
Inside wireman is by far the biggest track, with more than 200,000 IBEW journeymen and apprentices. Program length depends on the track. The electrical training ALLIANCE lists inside wireman at five years, outside lineman at three and a half years, and residential wireman and installer technician at three years each.
How the test, interview and ranking work
First the committee checks your application against its minimums. If you qualify, it schedules the aptitude test. The test has two parts: Algebra and Functions (33 items in 46 minutes) and Reading Comprehension (36 items in 51 minutes), with a short break in between. Wrong answers carry no penalty, so answer every question. The local committee gets your results about two to four weeks later.
If your score qualifies, a panel with members from both NECA and the IBEW interviews you. Your interview and your qualifications produce an overall ranking score. Your name then goes on an eligibility list for two years. When openings come up, the committee calls people in rank order. If you are not picked within two years, you have to apply again.
Classroom hours and the shift to a four-year model
Every inside wireman apprentice needs 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, and that number has not changed. Classroom time is a different story. NECA reported that more than half of local programs were already fitting the 900 hours of related instruction into four years. In March 2023 the electrical training ALLIANCE national committee voted to register an inside apprenticeship with a minimum of 720 hours of related instruction.
NECA said in January 2024 that the 720-hour minimum would be mandatory once approved, with the goal of letting programs finish in four years. The local JATC committee and each current apprentice decide together whether to move to the new model. Existing apprentices move only if they agree. Committees can also start only new classes on the 720-hour program. Ask your local JATC whether it runs four or five years before you start.
Pay
USD a year, before tax. Ranges run from the 25th to 75th percentile. They are based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, moved to 2026 with a wage index, and the state figures are modeled. The apprentice category covers trainees in general, not IBEW alone. Union apprentice pay is a percentage of the local journeyman rate in the collective bargaining agreement, so your local and your step decide what you earn. Refer to the Apprentices & Trainees salary guide for figures from live adverts.
What you need
- AgeThe usual minimum is 18. Each local JATC sets its own age rule.
- EducationA high school diploma or GED. Some programs accept a two-year associate degree or higher in place of either. You must send official transcripts, plus GED records if you have them.
- AlgebraOne full year of high school algebra with a passing grade, or one passing post-high school algebra course.
- Aptitude testA qualifying score on the two-part algebra and reading test. Cutoffs vary by program. For example, the Southwest Washington JATC requires a 5 for inside wireman.
- Drug freeBeing drug free is a standard requirement. Some programs also require a physical, a background check or a valid driver's license.
- Work experience waiverIf you already work in electrical construction, a committee can waive some minimums when you document enough work hours with solid records.
State by state
| Washington (Southwest Washington JATC) | Inside wireman applicants need an aptitude score of 5 and a valid driver's license. Apprentice pay starts at 40% of the journey-level rate and steps up to 85% before journeyman status at 8,000 hours. |
|---|---|
| California (Silicon Valley) | The state Division of Apprenticeship Standards reported in June 2024 that inside wireman apprentices at the Electrical Training Alliance of Silicon Valley started at $37.43 an hour. Pay rose twice a year to $74.85 by the tenth period. |
How to get there
- Month 0Find your local JATC and applyUse the electrical training ALLIANCE training center locator. Fill out the application and send transcripts showing your diploma or GED and your algebra grade.
- Weeks to monthsTake the aptitude testAlgebra and Functions, then Reading Comprehension, about two and a half hours in total. If you fall short, you can retest 90 days after your last attempt.
- After a qualifying scoreInterview and rankingA joint IBEW and NECA panel interviews you. Your ranking score puts you on the eligibility list for two years.
- Within the 2-year listGet selected and indenturedThe committee calls applicants in rank order as openings come up. You may have to pass a drug test, a physical or other checks first.
- Years 1 to 5Work and attend classYou work for signatory contractors and attend related classroom instruction. Pay rises at set steps tied to your hours and school progress.
- Year 4 or 5Topping outAfter 8,000 OJT hours and the full classroom program, you become a journeyman inside wireman. Your state license exam is a separate step.
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Questions people ask
Can I retake the IBEW aptitude test?
Yes. You can retake it once 90 days have passed since your last test date. The electrical training ALLIANCE warns that deliberately breaking the waiting rule can get you permanently disqualified.
How hard is the IBEW aptitude test?
It covers algebra and functions plus reading comprehension. That means working with formulas, number patterns and tables, and reading passages. Most people finish without rushing, and wrong answers cost nothing, so answer every item. The electrical training ALLIANCE posts sample questions on its site.
Does a high test score guarantee a spot?
No. A qualifying score only gets you an interview. Your final rank comes from the interview and your qualifications, and the committee calls people in rank order only as openings come up.
Is there a route in for veterans?
Yes. The electrical training ALLIANCE runs VEEP (Veterans Electrical Entry Program), a pre-apprenticeship for transitioning service members and spouses. VEEP works with local JATCs to arrange direct entry into an apprenticeship where there is room. Some local JATCs, such as Southwest Washington, will also interview veterans who served at least two years in a related military specialty.
How long is an IBEW inside wireman apprenticeship?
It has traditionally been five years, with 8,000 hours of on-the-job training. A 720-hour classroom minimum approved by the national committee in 2023 lets programs finish in four years. Current apprentices move to the shorter model only if they and their local committee agree.
What happens if I am not picked off the list?
Your name stays on the eligibility list for two years. If no opening reaches you in that time, you have to reapply to stay in consideration.
Sources
- electrical training ALLIANCE: The Application Process
- electrical training ALLIANCE: Electrical Work Specialties
- electrical training ALLIANCE: Apprenticeship Training
- electrical training ALLIANCE: Inside Wireman
- electrical training ALLIANCE: Sample test instructions
- NECA Labor Relations Bulletin: Inside Apprenticeship Standards
- Washington L&I: Southwest Washington Electrical JATC standards
- California DIR Division of Apprenticeship Standards: Wiring Success
- IBEW: VEEP bridges the gap between the military and what's next
