NJATC
Training The Country's Electricians

The NJATC Program

One reason the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee program is so popular is that it is an earn-as-you-learn system of education.

Students are paid a livable wage while learning how to become an electrician. This relieves burden from the taxpayers and takes the worry away from students about how they will pay for their educations.

An NJATC apprentice works or goes to school every day and learns new skills. He then practices these skills under supervision of a licensed electrician. At first, his job tasks will be simple, but these will become more complex as his training advances. In this way, the apprentice can work full time and be paid a salary as a useful employee while learning the trade.

Upon successful completion of a NJATC electrician apprenticeship program, the student will be eligible to take the journeyman electrician exam in his state, and will be able to work independently in a career as an electrician.

The National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee has also collaborated with the American Council on Education and developed a program that allows electrician apprentices to get college credits for their training. They may be able to transfer up to 60 credit hours to a university to apply towards a degree.

There are currently hundreds of electrician apprenticeship programs in operation that were developed by National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee.

These train workers to be a journeyman lineman, residential wireman, journeyman inside wireman, journeyman tree trimmer, and low voltage installer. Some classes may be taken online; however, even when the classroom training is taken online, there is still a long period of hands-on training that is necessary.

To be eligible for a National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee electrician apprentice program a candidate must be a high school graduate and have taken a high school algebra class. It is also necessary to have an aptitude for math since electrician work requires making mathematical computations. Some of the classes required in training also involve math and science.

While the NJATC apprenticeship program is national, it is necessary to learn about local requirements and regulations as well. Electricians are licensed on the state or local level and policies may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. A local chapter of the IBEW is a good place to start since a student must also find a sponsoring employer to work for as an apprentice.

While an apprentice earns a livable wage, the salary is less than what will be earned upon successful completion of the training program. Once the training is complete, the students will take the state licensing examination that will qualify them to embark on a well paying career that offers stability and job diversity.

United States JATC Training Centers