Everything you need to apply, on one page.
Who can apply, the four steps, the aptitude test, exactly which diploma and transcript documents we accept, and what happens after you apply. Read it through once and you will not need to call — but you are welcome to.
September 1 – March 31
Apply any time in that window. Applications are reviewed in the order they are completed.
Start your applicationAlready started? Log back in to finish or check your status.
Who can apply
- 18 or older. High-school seniors can apply while still in school if they turn 18 by September 1.
- A high-school diploma or a GED. Homeschool and online-school diplomas count — see exactly what we accept.
- Passed Algebra I, or a course that covered the same ground, with a C or better.
- Live in Beaver, Lawrence, Mercer or Crawford County, Pennsylvania.
- A valid Pennsylvania driver's license with an address in one of those four counties.
- A reliable way to get to work and to class. Jobs are anywhere in the four counties and classes are at our training center in New Castle.
Did not take Algebra I?
You can meet the math requirement by finishing SkillsPrep, an online math course made for people applying to electrical apprenticeships. Send us the completion certificate with your application.
Go to SkillsPrepNo experience needed
Most people who start the program have never done electrical work. You learn on the job and in class, and you are paid from the first week. You do not pay tuition.
What the program isThe four steps
In this order. Each step has to be finished before the next one starts.
Apply online
Create an account on our application site, pay the $25 application fee, answer every question, and upload these:
- A copy of your Pennsylvania driver's license.
- Proof of where you live, if the address on your license is not current — a utility bill or lease will do.
- Your high school diploma or GED, and a transcript showing your algebra credit. Exactly what we accept, including homeschool and online-school diplomas, is further down this page.
You have 30 days from the day you create your account to complete the application. If a school needs longer to send a record, tell us and we will extend your time. Your application is complete once we have received everything on this list; we will let you know if anything is missing.
Take the aptitude test
Once your application is complete we email you a link to book a test date at the training center. The test has two parts, reading and math, and takes about three hours. More about the test, including practice material.
Interview
If your test score is 4 or higher, we email you a link to book a 30-minute interview with a small panel of electricians and contractors. Arrive ten minutes early, dress as you would for any job interview, and bring your questions — we want to hear them.
Selection
Your interview score places you on our ranked list of eligible applicants, where you stay for one year from your interview date. As contractors need new apprentices, we offer places from the top of that list. If you are offered a place, you complete a physical, a drug test and a few remaining forms, and then you start work.
Exactly what we accept
Two things: proof of your high school diploma or GED, and proof of your algebra credit. Every applicant sends the same two things and is reviewed against the same list, however they finished school — public, private, cyber, homeschool, or outside Pennsylvania.
Part 1 — your high school diploma or GED
- Official high-school transcript showing your graduation date.Ask your school to send it to us, or send us the sealed copy they give you.
- GED or HiSET certificate, or a Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma.Pennsylvania issues these through diplomasender.com.
- Home education diploma on Pennsylvania form 6008.It must carry two signatures — your home education supervisor and your twelfth-grade evaluator.
- Diploma from a Pennsylvania-approved home-school diploma organization.For example PHAA, Erie County Homeschoolers, Mason Dixon Homeschoolers, Susquehanna Valley Homeschool Diploma Program.
- Diploma and transcript from a cyber charter or accredited online school.
- Official college transcript showing an associate degree or higher.
Part 2 — your algebra credit
- Official transcript showing an Algebra I credit, the year you took it, and a grade of C or better.The course can be called Algebra 1, Elementary Algebra, Math 9, Integrated Math or anything similar — we read the transcript, we do not judge the title.
- Official college transcript showing one semester of algebra with a C or better.
- SkillsPrep or electrical training ALLIANCE Tech Math completion certificate.
- For a home education transcript that does not show grades: the written evaluation for the school year you took algebra.
What we cannot accept
- A letter or certificate signed only by a parent, with no supervisor or evaluator signature.
- A homemade transcript that does not name the school, program or organization that issued it.
- A photocopy with no signature or seal.
- A certificate for finishing a course that is not a diploma.
Where to get your records
Ask whoever holds the record: your high school's guidance office, your home education supervisor or evaluator, the organization that issued your diploma, or diplomasender.com for a Commonwealth diploma. We are not able to tell you in advance whether a document will work or help you obtain one — send it in and we will check it against this list and let you know.
Finished school outside the United States?
Send the official record from your school together with an English translation. The Training Director reviews these individually.
Print this list (PDF) link to "Proof of your education - what we accept (for the Website).pdf" once it is uploaded to the website
The aptitude test
Two parts, reading and math. Nothing electrical — you are not expected to know the trade yet.
Practice first. ElectricPrep has practice tests for this exact exam at electricprep.com. People who practice score higher — set aside a few evenings before your test date.
If you need an accommodation for the test or the interview — extra time, a large-print copy, or anything else — tell us when you book. Asking will not count against you. See our equal opportunity statement.
After you apply
How will I hear from you?
By email, at the address on your application, at each step: when your application is complete, when it is time to book your test, your test result, and your interview time. Check your spam folder if you have not heard from us.
How long does the whole thing take?
It depends on when you apply and how quickly your records arrive. Most people go from applying to interview within a few months. Places are offered as contractors need apprentices, so the wait after the interview varies.
What if I am not offered a place right away?
You stay on the ranked list for one year from the date of your interview. Places are offered from that list as contractors need apprentices, so you may be offered one at any point in that year. If the year passes without an offer, you can apply again.
How long is my test score good for?
confirm: score validity period
Common questions
Do I need any electrical experience?
No. The program teaches you from the beginning. If you already work as an electrician, there is a different route — see experienced electricians.
Does it cost anything?
There is a $25 fee to apply. After that, no tuition — you are paid for every hour you work, and the classes are paid for by the contractors and the union. You are required to buy your books and supply your own set of hand tools.
What do I get paid?
The starting wage is over $20 an hour. You get a raise at each step of the program.
I am still in high school. Can I apply?
Yes, if you will be 18 by September 1. Apply now and send your final transcript when you graduate.
I live just outside the four counties.
We can only take applicants who live in Beaver, Lawrence, Mercer or Crawford County. Other counties have their own electrical apprenticeship programs; call us and we will point you to the right one.
Can I call to ask whether my paperwork is right?
Send it in with your application. We check every document against the same list and email you if anything is missing.
Questions? Call or email.
- Phone
- 724-775-6920
- [email protected] confirm
- Office hours
- Monday–Friday, hours to confirm
- Address
- 3891 Wilmington Road
Neshannock Township, PA 16105