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How to get an apprenticeship in the trades, starting from zero

Checked against official sources · Last reviewed October 11, 2026

What you're applying for

An apprenticeship is a paid job with classroom training attached. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) calls a registered apprenticeship a pathway where you "obtain paid work experience with a mentor, receive progressive wage increases, classroom instruction, and a portable, nationally-recognized credential."

CareerOneStop, DOL's career site, puts it plainly: "Applying for an apprenticeship is like applying for a job." DOL says you "apply directly with the employer or the program sponsor."

Who the sponsor is depends on the route:

• Union (joint) programs. A JATC (Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee) is run jointly by a union and contractors; in electrical programs, for example, you are interviewed by "a committee representing both NECA and the IBEW." The programs on this page include JATCs for electricians, plumbers and pipefitters, sheet metal workers and carpenters.
• Open-shop (non-union) programs. IEC (Independent Electrical Contractors) and ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) chapters run the classroom training. IEC says you get on-the-job training "with an IEC contractor during the day" and attend classes "in the evening." ABC Greater Tennessee says that to be an apprentice "you must be working in the field in which you are training."

For hours, pay and the electrical routes in detail, see electrician apprenticeship and carpenter apprenticeship. For the trade-offs between the two routes, see union vs. non-union. [1][2][3][4][6][7][10][11]

Minimum requirements, as programs publish them

Federal rules let registered programs set their own "minimum qualifications," with a starting age of "not less than 16 years." Each program then sets its own list. Here is what real programs publish:

• Age. 18 is the usual minimum: ABC Greater Tennessee ("18 years or older"), ABC Hawaii ("18 or older"). IEC says applicants "generally must be at least 18 years old" and that "There is no upper age limit."
• High school diploma or GED. Almost every program asks for one. The IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers)/NECA Electrical Training Alliance lets local programs accept "a two-year Associate Degree or higher" instead.
• Math. Electrical programs often want "one full year of high school algebra with a passing grade" (Electrical Training Alliance); ABC Hawaii also asks electrical applicants for "1 year of High School Algebra." UA (United Association, the plumbers' and pipefitters' union) Local 162 in Dayton, Ohio (plumbers, pipefitters and HVAC) asks high school graduates for a "2.0 cumulative grade point average," "Two (2) full years of Math" and a year of science, each with "at least a C average." GED holders there need "a score of 145 or higher" on the GED math and science tests.
• Driver's license. ABC Greater Tennessee lists a "Valid Driver's License" for every trade. The Western Washington Sheet Metal JATC asks for your driver's license and "proof of auto insurance." The Ohio Carpenters' Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program asks for "a driver's license or state issued photo I.D."
• Drug test. UA Local 162: "YOU WILL BE DRUG TESTED." Western Washington Sheet Metal: accepted applicants "are required to pass a pre-employment drug test."
• Physical ability. IEC says "Successful applicants must be able to meet certain physical requirements and demonstrate mechanical aptitude." The Electrical Training Alliance says some programs add "a physical examination."
• Other items. ABC Greater Tennessee also asks that you "Read, write, comprehend English and able to do math" and "Are able to legally work in the United States." The Electrical Training Alliance mentions a "security background check" at some programs.

Requirements differ by local, even within one union, so read the page of the program you're applying to. [3][4][5][6][7][8][11][12]

No diploma or GED yet?

Don't let this stop you; it is the most fixable requirement.

• Earn a high school equivalency (HSE). CareerOneStop says an HSE "is a recognized alternative to a high school diploma" and names the GED and HiSET (High School Equivalency Test) tests. States choose which tests they offer: see CareerOneStop's state high school equivalency options, which links each state's adult education office.
• Free classes to prepare. Adult Basic Education programs are "free and available to the public" and teach reading, math and "high school equivalency preparation." You qualify if you are "at least 16 years old, not enrolled in high school," and working below 12th-grade level in reading, math, writing English or speaking English. See Adult Basic Education or ask an American Job Center.
• Programs that combine an HSE with trade training. YouthBuild (ages 16 to 24) has participants earn "their high school diploma or equivalency" while learning construction skills, and Job Corps (ages 16 through 24) also helps students finish high school. In May 2025 DOL announced a "phased pause in operations at contractor-operated Job Corps centers nationwide," so check with Job Corps that a center near you is enrolling. Both are covered in our pre-apprenticeship guide.
• Work experience instead. Some programs accept documented trade hours. The Electrical Training Alliance says minimum requirements "can be waived" if you have worked in electrical construction and can document the hours.

If your GED is old or your math grades were low, check the math rule too: some programs look at GED subject scores or high school math grades, not just the certificate. [3][6][9][13][14][15][16][17]

Documents to gather

Programs list these in their own application instructions. Start collecting them now, because school records can take weeks:

• Official high school transcript, often in a sealed envelope. UA Local 162 says the transcript "must be placed in a sealed envelope by your High School or GED provider and remain unopened to be considered official." The Electrical Training Alliance asks for "an official transcript for high school and post high school education."
• GED records or test scores, if you have a GED (Electrical Training Alliance, UA Local 162, Ohio Carpenters' JATC).
• Driver's license, and at Western Washington Sheet Metal, proof of auto insurance.
• Birth certificate (UA Local 162).
• A resume, if you have one (Ohio Carpenters' JATC).
• DD-214 (military discharge papers) if you served in the military (UA Local 162). ABC Greater Tennessee says its programs are "GI Bill® eligible" and asks veterans to "submit a DD214 with your application."
• Photo ID on test day. The Electrical Training Alliance: "No ID, No Test, No Exceptions!"

[3][4][6][7][8]

How applications work

Most programs take applicants through the same steps. The Western Washington Sheet Metal JATC lists them clearly:

• Gather and upload your documents.
• Complete the online application.
• Take a "math and reading assessment."
• Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications "may be contacted and scheduled for an interview with a subcommittee of the JATC."
• You are "placed on a ranked eligibility list" based on your interview score and test results, and people are taken "based on rank order, geographic availability, and your timeliness in responding."

Union electrical programs work the same way. The Electrical Training Alliance describes an aptitude test of two parts (Algebra and Functions, and Reading Comprehension) taking about two and a half hours, then an interview with "a committee representing both NECA and the IBEW." Your name stays on the eligibility list "for two (2) years"; if you aren't picked in that time, "you will need to reapply." If you don't pass, you can retest after "three (3) months (90 days)." See our aptitude test guide.

When to apply. Some programs take applications only at set times. ABC Greater Tennessee says "Applications open in April for the next school year," and the 2026-2027 deadline was August 14. UA Local 162 says "YOU MUST APPLY IN PERSON" and charges a $35 test fee.

Open shop: get hired too. ABC Greater Tennessee says "placement is never guaranteed," and people who enroll without a job are "considered 'Trainees', as opposed to Apprentices." To count as an apprentice you must be working in the trade you are training for. ABC Greater Tennessee's FAQ (frequently asked questions) lists yearly tuition of "$2,900" in Middle Tennessee (prices are "subject to change"), with an $800 discount when your employer is an ABC member; IEC says your employer may help with tuition.

Federal rules require a registered program's selection procedures to be "uniformly and consistently applied to all applicants," and you can ask for a disability accommodation. The Electrical Training Alliance says to ask "before, or as soon as you are scheduled" for the test. [3][4][6][7][11][18]

How to find programs near you

• DOL's Apprenticeship Finder lists open apprenticeship jobs. If nothing matches, DOL suggests its Partner Finder "to learn more about when they are accepting new apprentice applications."
• Your state apprenticeship office. DOL's State Offices page lists each state's agency or federal office.
• Union programs by trade: the Electrical Training Alliance's training center locator (electricians), the UA's find a local union list (the UA trains plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, sprinkler fitters, welders and HVACR technicians), and the carpenters' union's regional council list, which the UBC (United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America) says to contact first.
• Open-shop programs: IEC's chapter locator and ABC's Registered Apprenticeship Locator.
• Help in person. CareerOneStop says an American Job Center can give "hands-on assistance with finding apprenticeships."

Your state may also require you to register as an apprentice or trainee before you work. Each state page shows the rule, starting from the electrician, plumber and HVAC hubs. [2][11][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]

Not ready to apply yet? On-ramps

If you're missing a requirement, can't get hired by an open-shop contractor, or want to try the work first, there are three common on-ramps:

• Pre-apprenticeship programs: DOL says these are "designed to prepare individuals for entry into Registered Apprenticeship Programs" and "may last from a few weeks to a few months."
• Helper jobs: working in the trade before or while you apply.
• Vocational school: trade classes at a technical school or community college.

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What programs say improves your odds

Only the programs themselves can tell you how they score applicants. Here is what the ones we checked say:

• Test and interview scores set your rank. At Western Washington Sheet Metal, rank comes from "the score you receive in the interview and your test results." The Electrical Training Alliance ranks applicants "Based on the interview, and a review of your qualifications."
• Answer quickly. Western Washington Sheet Metal also counts "your timeliness in responding to our JATC."
• Extra math or science classes can help. UA Local 162 makes an exception to its grade rules for "Additional adult or college training in math, science, or trade related classes" with "a grade of B or better."
• Study the sample questions. The Electrical Training Alliance says to review its sample questions, that "Previous knowledge of electrical work is not required," and that there are "no penalties for guessing."
• Finish a recognized pre-apprenticeship. In Washington State, recognized preparation programs must have agreements with apprenticeship sponsors that give graduates "preferred-entry," such as "Additional points awarded in the application and/ or interview scoring process" or "A guaranteed interview."
• Document any trade work. Documented hours can replace a requirement at some programs (see above). The Ohio Carpenters' JATC says experience isn't required, but "any experience is a plus, and some may qualify for credit."

[3][6][7][8][27]

Questions people ask