The Electrical Training Alliance, initially a joint training program between the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), was designed to produce some of the electrical industry’s best workers. Over the years, the Electrical Training Alliance has grown exponentially with over 350,000 former and current apprentices and journeymen making it the largest training program of its kind.
The Electrical Training Alliance offers two main training programs, one for apprentices and another for journey-level workers.
Apprenticeship Training
The Electrical Training Alliance’s apprenticeship program offers direct training to individuals through local programs. This ensures that all apprentices have easy access to hands-on training that will prepare them for successful careers. The Electrical Training Alliance is committed to playing a large role in producing a workforce that is as skillful and highly trained as possible. This is achieved by the program’s enhanced training standards created to tackle the challenges of today’s electrical industry. In addition to the on-the-job experience, apprentices will also participate in classroom lectures and discussions.
The apprenticeship training covers four main categories of electrical workers:
- Outside Linemen: Specialize in installing the distribution and transmission lines that move power from the plant to a building.
- Inside Wiremen: Specialize in installing the power, lighting, controls and other electrical equipment in commercial and industrial buildings.
- VDV Installer Technicians: Specialize in installing circuits and equipment for telephones, computer networks, video distribution systems, security and access control systems and other low voltage systems.
- Residential Wiremen: Specialize in installing all the electrical systems in houses and apartments.
Journeyman Training
A journeyman electrician or a journey-level worker is the next step of an electrician’s career after apprenticeship. During this stage, the worker is on his or her way to becoming a master electrician and is focusing on the specific type of electrical work they wish to pursue.
The Electrical Training Alliance works with manufacturers and developers to ensure that journeymen students are staying up to date with the latest and most prevalent technologies in the workforce. The Electrical Training Alliance invests millions of dollars to train thousands of journey-level workers through local programs.
The Electrical Training Alliance encourages the education of apprentices and journey-level workers. A great benefit of enrolling in one of the offered training programs is that you can receive college credit for your efforts. If you are working to further improve your skills, you may be eligible for continuing education credits (CEUs). Utilize the website’s Find a Training Center page to locate the nearest training center for you to take the first steps towards your electrical career.