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United States · Licensing exam

Union electrician apprenticeship: IBEW and NECA programs

A union electrician apprenticeship is a joint program of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), run through the electrical training alliance. You don't apply nationally. You apply to the local joint apprenticeship training committee (JATC) near where you want to work.

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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

How do you get into a union electrician apprenticeship?

The electrical training alliance lists these minimums. Your local program can add more:

  • Be at least 18
  • A high school education
  • One year of high school algebra
  • A qualifying score on an aptitude test
  • Be drug free

Then apply to your local JATC or AJATC. The alliance's training center finder gives the local contacts.

Find a local training center ↗

The apprenticeship aptitude test

A qualifying score on an aptitude test is part of getting in, and it's a different test from the state license exam you take years later. The alliance's apprenticeship page doesn't give the test's format, length or passing score, so ask your local JATC when you apply.

The four apprenticeship tracks

  • Inside wiremen install power, lighting, controls and other electrical equipment in commercial and industrial buildings.
  • Outside linemen install the distribution and transmission lines that carry power from the plant.
  • Residential wiremen install the electrical systems in houses and multi-family dwellings.
  • VDV installer technicians install circuits and equipment for phones, computer networks and video systems.

Union or non-union

Unions aren't the only route. BLS says contractor associations sponsor apprenticeships too, such as IEC's merit-shop program. Either way, the state license exam comes later, once you have the hours your state asks for.

Electrician apprenticeships in general →Journeyman electrician requirements →
Sources: electrical training ALLIANCE · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · IEC and 1 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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