Tri-County Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee for the Electrical Industry

10300 Merritt St, Castroville, CA 95012
Phone: (831) 633-3063
Email: vivian@tricountyjatc.org

The next Aptitude Testing session for Tri County Electrical JATC is tentatively scheduled for September 26, 2009. The cut off for applicants to apply to the program and to be included in this September testing session is August 7, 2009. Those that apply after the August 7, 2009 deadline will be tested March 27th, 2010 and must have an application completed by February 12, 2010.

Applicants apply in person at the Apprenticeship and Training Office of the IBEW Local Union 234, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday (Holidays excluded). Applications are taken on a continuing basis. Testing will be conducted twice per year in March and September.

Earn While You Learn

The Apprenticeship program is a highly structured training system that combines on the job training with related and supplemental classroom instruction. The Apprenticeship program is designed to train people with little or no prior knowledge or experience of the electrical craft or trade. Apprentices work during the day for an electrical contractor who pays the apprentice directly for the time worked, and apprentices attend classroom instruction at night twice a week during the school year at the Training Center in Castroville. The rate of pay is based on the level of progress in the program. At the time this was posted, a starting apprentice rate of 45% of the Journeyman pay of $38.24 calculates out to show that a beginning apprentice would be making $17.21 per hour plus the benefits package. Classroom time is not compensated.

Basic Requirements:

An applicant must be physically able to perform electrical construction work. The Electrical Construction Trade is a physical experience performed on ladders and scaffolds, requiring climbing, pulling, twisting, crawling, and crouching in cramped or confined quarters. Electrical construction work is performed outside, in semi-sheltered, finished and unfinished building environments. Electrical construction workers are exposed to the elements and the debris of the construction site, and are regularly required to lift and move objects weighing more than 50 pounds. Electrical systems are coded by color; therefore the electrical worker cannot be color blind.

Five-Year Program

The applicant must also have a willingness to attend classes as required by the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee. Over the course of five years, the Inside Wireman’s Electrical Apprenticeship program consists of 10 semesters of Related and Supplemental instruction and 8,000 hours of on the job training. Classroom training is held at night twice a week from September through May and attendance is mandatory.

How Do I Apply and Get Started?

Applicants must apply in person at the office of the Tri-County Electrical JATC, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday (Holidays excluded). The following documents must be submitted to complete the application process:

  1. Official embossed sealed transcript from High School or college showing that the applicant has completed Algebra I, or its equivalent, with "C" grades or better.
  2. High School Diploma or GED. (If you provide your official transcript mentioned above from the high school that you graduated from and it lists your date of graduation, you won’t need to bring in your High School diploma)
  3. The applicant must sign a statement that he/she is 18 years of age or older on the date of the application.
  4. Photo ID.

Applications are taken on a continuing basis. The next Aptitude test is scheduled for September 26, 2009. The deadline to apply to take this test is August 7, 2009.

Aptitude Test, Oral Interview, the Ranking List and Selection into Program

Those applicants meeting the above requirements will be scheduled for an Aptitude Test consisting of two parts: Algebra and functions, and Reading Comprehension. A slightly better than average composite score on the Aptitude test will qualify an applicant for an oral interview. Interviewed applicants who receive passing interview scores will have their name and scores placed on a “Ranking List” of eligible applicants based on the interview score. The Applicant's name will remain on this list until selected for employment or for a maximum of two years. The highest ranked applicants will be offered apprenticeship positions first. When offered a position, applicants are screened for controlled substances and must provide proof of possession of a valid California driver’s license with a clean driving record going back three years.

Approval

The Tri-County Electrical Apprenticeship Program is approved by the State of California, Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Apprenticeship Standards, and by the United States Department of Labor. The program is also approved for Veteran Benefits.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Applicants will be selected by qualification only, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age or national/ethnic origin. Both males and females are encouraged to apply. The Tri-County JATC Electrical Apprenticeship program admits students of any race, color religion, sex,age and national/ethnic origin.

Wages and Benefits

Hourly Wage Rate-Starting rate 45% of Journeyman rate.

Copyright © 2008 Tri-County Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, Castroville, California.