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Electrician apprenticeships in California

California registers electrical apprenticeships with its Division of Apprenticeship Standards.¹ Most run 4 to 5 years, take apprentices from age 17 or 18, and pay from the first day. Finishing one counts toward the general electrician certification, which takes 8,000 hours of work.²

Find a program near you

Enter your ZIP to sort by distance. Lineman, utility and studio programs are hidden because they lead to a different license.

34 programs

Ace Electric Inc
San Diego · San Diego County
Open shop
Alameda County Electrical JATC
San Leandro · Alameda County
UnionState-registered
Inside Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
None required
To get in
No test or interview
595jatc.org
American Lineman College
Bakersfield · Kern County
SchoolLineman or utility
Associated Builders & Contractors Northern California Chapter (ABC Norcal) Electrical UAC
Livermore · Alameda County
Open shopState-registered
Electrician
Length
5 years
Minimum age
17
Education
None required
To get in
No test or interview
abcnorcal.org
Associated Builders & Contractors Of San Diego, Inc. Electrical U.A.C.
Poway · San Diego County
Open shopState-registered
Inside Wireman
Length
4 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
abcsd.org
Bergelectric Corp
Carlsbad · San Diego County
Open shop
Cal-Nev Power Lineman J.A.T.C.
Riverside · Riverside County
UnionLineman or utility
California Nv Line JATC
Riverside · Riverside County
UnionLineman or utility
calnevjatc.org
Central California Electrical Training Institute (J.A.T.C)
Fresno · Fresno County
UnionState-registered
Inside Wireman · Residential Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
fresnojatc.org
Central Valley Electrical J.A.T.C.
Modesto · Stanislaus County
UnionState-registered
Inside Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
None required
To get in
Written test + interview
cvjatc684.org
City of Banning Electric Utility
Banning · Riverside County
Open shopLineman or utility
City of Banning Electric Utility Apprenticeship Program
Banning · Riverside County
Open shopLineman or utility
City Of Burbank Electrician J.A.C.
Burbank · Los Angeles County
UnionLineman or utility
City Of Burbank Test Technician (Electrician) J.A.C.
Burbank · Los Angeles County
UnionLineman or utility
City Of Glendale - Electrical Line Mechanic J A C
Glendale · Los Angeles County
Open shopLineman or utility
City Of Glendale - Station Electrician/ Operator Joint Apprenticeship Committee
Glendale · Los Angeles County
UnionLineman or utility
City of Lompoc Electric
Lompoc · Santa Barbara County
Open shopLineman or utility
City Of Pasadena Water And Power Department Power Utility Electrical Mechanic J.A.C.
Pasadena
UnionLineman or utility
City Of Riverside, Public Utilities-Electric
Riverside · Riverside County
Open shopLineman or utility
Contra Costa Co. Electrical JATC
Martinez · Contra Costa County
UnionState-registered
Inside Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
ibewlu302.com
Electrical Training Alliance Of Silicon Valley
Milpitas · Santa Clara County
Open shopState-registered
Inside Wireman · Residential Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
etasv.org
Fresno, Madera, Kings & Tulare County Electrical JATC
Fresno · Fresno County
Union
IBEW 569
San Diego · San Diego County
Union
IBEW LU 40 - L.A. County NECA JATC
North Hollywood · Los Angeles County
Union
ibew40.org
Imperial Irrigation District (Electrician)
El Centro · Imperial County
Open shopLineman or utilityState-registered
Substation Electrician (Utility) · Electrician
Length
4 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
Inland/Desert Employers Apprenticeship
Fontana · San Bernardino County
Open shopLineman or utilityState-registered
Industrial Maintenance Electrician
Length
4 years
Minimum age
18
Education
None required
To get in
No test or interview
Kern County Electrical
Bakersfield · Kern County
Open shopState-registered
Inside Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
njatc.org
La County Intelligent Transportation Systems Electrical Joint Apprenticeship And Training Committee
Los Angeles · Los Angeles County
UnionLineman or utilityState-registered
Transportation Systems Electrician · Intelligent Transportation Systems Electrician
Length
4 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
laett.com
Los Angeles County Electrical JATC
City Of Commerce · Los Angeles County
UnionState-registered
Inside Wireman · Inside Wireman Electrician · Residential Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
laett.com
Metropolitan Water District Of Southern California J.A.T.C.
Winchester · Riverside County
UnionLineman or utilityState-registered
Operations & Maintenance Technician Iv
Length
4 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
Motion Picture Studio Electrician (Journeyman Wireman) J.A.C.
Burbank · Los Angeles County
UnionStudioState-registered
Electrician
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
csatf.org
Northwest Lineman College Oroville Campus
Oroville · Butte County
SchoolLineman or utility
lineman.edu
Orange County Electrical Training Trust
Santa Ana · Orange County
Open shopState-registered
Inside Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
Pacific Gas & Electric
San Ramon · Contra Costa County
Open shopLineman or utility
Pasadena Water And Power Department Power Utility Electrical Distribution Mechanic J.A.C.
Pasadena
UnionLineman or utility
Re-Gen Electric
Fresno · Fresno County
School
Redwood Empire Electrical J.A.T.C.
Santa Rosa · Sonoma County
UnionState-registered
Inside Wireman · Residential Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
No test or interview
Riverside Area Electrical JATC
San Bernardino · San Bernardino County
UnionState-registered
Electrician
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
njatc.org
Roseville Electric Utility
Roseville · Placer County
Open shopLineman or utility
Sacramento Electrical JATC
Sacramento · Sacramento County
UnionState-registered
Inside Wireman · Residential Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
Sacramento Regional Transit and IBEW Local 1245
Sacramento · Sacramento County
Union
San Bernardino, Mono & Inyo Counties Electrical JATC
San Bernardino · San Bernardino County
UnionState-registered
Electrician
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
njatc.org
San Diego & Imperial County Electrical JATC
San Diego · San Diego County
UnionState-registered
Inside Wireman · Residential Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
sdett.org
San Diego Gas & Electric Company IBEW #465
San Diego · San Diego County
UnionLineman or utility
San Francisco JATC For The Electrical Industry
San Francisco · San Francisco County
UnionState-registered
Electrical Inside Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
sfelectricaltraining.com
San Joaquin & Calaveras Counties Electrical JATC
Stockton · San Joaquin County
UnionState-registered
Inside Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
sjeti.org
San Luis Obispo Electrical Workers JATC
San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo County
UnionState-registered
Electrician
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
ibew639.org
San Mateo County Joint Apprenticeship And Training Committee For The Electrical Construction Industry
San Carlos · San Mateo County
UnionState-registered
Inside Journeyworker Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
smjatc617.org
San Mateo Electrical Training Alliance
San Carlos · San Mateo County
Open shop
Santa Barbara County Electrical JATC
Santa Maria · Santa Barbara County
UnionState-registered
Electrician
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
cccneca.org
Smud Joint Apprentice Training Committee
Sacramento · Sacramento County
Open shopLineman or utilityState-registered
Substation Electrician · Hydro Electrician
Length
4 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
No test or interview
Solano - Napa Counties Electrical JATC
Napa · Napa County
UnionState-registered
Inside Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
Southern California Chapter Of The Associated Builders And Contractors, Inc., Electrical Unilateral Apprenticeship Committee
Anaheim · Orange County
Open shopState-registered
Electrician Inside Wireman (Construction)
Length
54 months
Minimum age
17
Education
None required
To get in
No test or interview
abcsocal.org
Tri-County Electrical JATC
Castroville · Monterey County
UnionState-registered
Electrician
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
tricountyjatc.org
Ventura Co. Electrical JATC
Oxnard · Ventura County
UnionState-registered
Inside Wireman
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
Written test + interview
vcjatc.org
Western Electrical Contractor's Association (WECA)
Mather · Sacramento County
Open shopState-registered
Commercial / Industrial Electrician · Residential Electrician
Length
5 years
Minimum age
18
Education
High school or GED
To get in
No test or interview
goweca.com
Willdan Electrical Of Ny, Inc
Anaheim · Orange County
Open shop

Union or open shop?

Union

Run by a JATC run jointly by the IBEW local and the NECA contractors' chapter. You apply to the committee, take an aptitude test and an interview, and wait on a ranked list. The committee sends you to its contractors.

Pay is a set share of the union journey-level rate and steps up on a schedule. Classes are nights or week-long blocks, usually paid for by the program.

Open shop

Run by ABC, IEC, WECA or a single electrical contractor. You usually get hired by a member contractor first, and the contractor enrolls you.

Your employer sets the pay and the raises. Classes are nights or weekends, and some programs charge tuition.

What do programs ask for?

From the 25 state-registered programs in the list above.

Age
18 at most programs. A few take apprentices at 17.
High school diploma or GED
21 of the 25 state-registered programs list one. Bring a transcript.
Algebra
Electrical and sheet metal programs usually want one year of high school algebra with a passing grade.
Aptitude test or interview
20 of 25 list a written test and 20 an interview. Union programs rank applicants by the two.
Driver's license and drug screen
Many programs ask for both, since apprentices drive between job sites.

Applying this month

Get your papers together1 week
High school transcript or GED, a photo ID, and your birth certificate or proof of age. Programs that ask for algebra want the transcript that shows it.
Time
1 week
Practice for the aptitude test2 to 4 weeks
Union programs test algebra and reading. A few evenings with a practice test helps your ranking.
Time
2 to 4 weeks
Pick three programs and check their dates1 evening
Union programs take applications in set windows, some once a year. Open-shop programs and employer programs often take them year-round.
Time
1 evening
Back to the program list
Apply, then keep working
Apply to all three. While you wait, a helper or trainee job with a licensed contractor gives you hours and a reference.
Contractors with employees

Can't get in yet?

Pre-apprenticeship

Short programs that teach the basics and help with the application. California lists these:¹

Start on a crew

Register as a trainee, enroll in a state-approved school, and get hired by a licensed electrical contractor. Your hours count toward the same certification.

Contractors with employees near you

How do you get into an electrician apprenticeship in California?

Pick programs near you, check each one's website for its application dates, and apply to more than one. Union programs test and interview, then rank applicants; open-shop programs usually start once a member contractor hires you.

How long is an electrician apprenticeship in California?

4 to 5 years at state-registered programs. The general electrician certification requires 8,000 hours of supervised work.

How much do electrician apprentices make in California?

Programs set their own scales, usually a share of journey-level pay that rises every year. For a floor, the lowest-paid tenth of all electricians in California earned $22.50 an hour or less in May 2025.

Electrician pay in California

Other routes in California

Sources

California Division of Apprenticeship Standards, apprenticeship program search (data as of 10/27/2026) (dir.ca.gov, 10/27/2026)
California electrician certification requirements (dir.ca.gov, 2026-10-27)
U.S. Department of Labor, apprenticeship.gov registered apprenticeship partners (apprenticeship.gov)
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, California, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)

Find a program near you

Ace Electric Inc

Alameda County Electrical JATC

American Lineman College

Associated Builders & Contractors Northern California Chapter (ABC Norcal) Electrical UAC

Associated Builders & Contractors Of San Diego, Inc. Electrical U.A.C.

Bergelectric Corp

Cal-Nev Power Lineman J.A.T.C.

California Nv Line JATC

Central California Electrical Training Institute (J.A.T.C)

Central Valley Electrical J.A.T.C.

City of Banning Electric Utility

City of Banning Electric Utility Apprenticeship Program

City Of Burbank Electrician J.A.C.

City Of Burbank Test Technician (Electrician) J.A.C.

City Of Glendale - Electrical Line Mechanic J A C

City Of Glendale - Station Electrician/ Operator Joint Apprenticeship Committee

City of Lompoc Electric

City Of Pasadena Water And Power Department Power Utility Electrical Mechanic J.A.C.

City Of Riverside, Public Utilities-Electric

Contra Costa Co. Electrical JATC

Electrical Training Alliance Of Silicon Valley

Fresno, Madera, Kings & Tulare County Electrical JATC

IBEW 569

IBEW LU 40 - L.A. County NECA JATC

Imperial Irrigation District (Electrician)

Inland/Desert Employers Apprenticeship

Kern County Electrical

La County Intelligent Transportation Systems Electrical Joint Apprenticeship And Training Committee

Los Angeles County Electrical JATC

Metropolitan Water District Of Southern California J.A.T.C.

Motion Picture Studio Electrician (Journeyman Wireman) J.A.C.

Northwest Lineman College Oroville Campus

Orange County Electrical Training Trust

Pacific Gas & Electric

Pasadena Water And Power Department Power Utility Electrical Distribution Mechanic J.A.C.

Re-Gen Electric

Redwood Empire Electrical J.A.T.C.

Riverside Area Electrical JATC

Roseville Electric Utility

Sacramento Electrical JATC

Sacramento Regional Transit and IBEW Local 1245

San Bernardino, Mono & Inyo Counties Electrical JATC

San Diego & Imperial County Electrical JATC

San Diego Gas & Electric Company IBEW #465

San Francisco JATC For The Electrical Industry

San Joaquin & Calaveras Counties Electrical JATC

San Luis Obispo Electrical Workers JATC

San Mateo County Joint Apprenticeship And Training Committee For The Electrical Construction Industry

San Mateo Electrical Training Alliance

Santa Barbara County Electrical JATC

Smud Joint Apprentice Training Committee

Solano - Napa Counties Electrical JATC

Southern California Chapter Of The Associated Builders And Contractors, Inc., Electrical Unilateral Apprenticeship Committee

Tri-County Electrical JATC

Ventura Co. Electrical JATC

Western Electrical Contractor's Association (WECA)

Willdan Electrical Of Ny, Inc