Electrician aptitude test › IBEW interview questions
IBEW interview questions: what the JATC interview weighs and how to prepare
No JATC publishes its interview questions. What is public: where locals use the electrical training ALLIANCE test, a qualifying score gets you an oral interview with a committee of NECA and IBEW representatives, and the interview plus a review of your documented qualifications sets your rank on the list. So prepare proof as much as answers: hours worked, math and trade classes, and why this trade.
Where the interview fits
The national application page lays out the order: application, aptitude test, then "If you obtain a qualifying score on the test battery, you will be scheduled for an oral interview. You will be interviewed by a committee representing both NECA and the IBEW. Based on the interview, and a review of your qualifications, you will receive an overall ranking." Your name then sits on an eligibility list for two years, and openings are filled in rank order. Locals that use the GAN test work differently, and some have no interview at all:
| Program | Interview? | What sets your rank |
|---|---|---|
| Locals using the ALLIANCE test (national rules) | Yes after a qualifying score | The interview plus a review of qualifications; list kept 2 years |
| Southern Nevada JATC (2020 standards) | Yes on ALLIANCE forms | Interview score, to two decimal places; list kept 1 year from the interview |
| Nashville JATC (GAN) | Top of list | Completed applicants (GAN test and experience form) go on a ranked list; at least 10% more than will be picked are interviewed, then re-ranked on the interview score |
| JATC Local 26, DC area (GAN) | No | The GAN Personal Experience Form "takes the place of an interview" |
| Des Moines JATC (GAN) | No | The experience form and the GAN test combined |
If your local gives the GAN test, read the GAN aptitude test guide: there, the experience form does much of the work an interview does elsewhere.
How the interview is scored
The scoring forms aren't public, but registered program standards say a fair amount about the process. Southern Nevada's standards, filed with the state in 2020, say interviews "will be conducted in accordance with the interview forms and procedures developed by the electrical training ALLIANCE", and that "Aptitude Test scores will not be shared with the interview committee." So a high test score doesn't follow you into the room; the interview starts everyone level. A 2016 selection procedure from Oregon's Area III Inside Electrical JATC describes "a panel of three interested parties" asking "standardized questions", with the application and interview scores combined into your place in the pool.
The same documents show what earns points outside the interview: documented work hours, military service, degrees and trade school, and grades in classes such as algebra, geometry, blueprint reading and electrical courses. Area III's 2016 point list gave, for example, 5 points a year of military service up to 25, and 5 points for an A in a qualifying class. Points "will not be given unless the applicant provides written documentation". That is why the documents you bring matter as much as what you say.
12 questions to prepare for
These are this site's, written from what the programs above say they weigh. Practice each answer out loud in under two minutes, with one specific example.
- Why do you want to be an electrician, and why through this apprenticeship? Name something concrete: work you have done or seen, and why years of paid work plus school suit you.
- What do you know about the work? Know the four tracks the ALLIANCE names: inside wireman, outside lineman, installer technician (low voltage) and residential wireman, and which one you are applying for.
- Tell us about your work history. Hours, duties and what each job taught you. Bring pay stubs or employer letters that show the hours.
- Have you done any electrical or construction work? Even helper or warehouse work counts if you can document it.
- What math have you taken since high school, and how did you prepare for the test? Shows you can keep up with the classroom part.
- How will you get to job sites, including early starts? Several programs require a valid driver's license.
- Tell us about a time you were late, or missed work. Reliability is the theme. One JATC treats a late arrival at the aptitude test as a no-show.
- Describe a time you had to follow a safety rule you didn't agree with.
- Tell us about working on a team, and about taking direction from someone younger or newer than you.
- Apprentices work full time and attend class. How will you handle both for the whole program? Inside wireman programs at Local 26 and Minneapolis run five years.
- Are you comfortable with heights, weather and physical work? Some programs require a physical exam and a drug test before you start.
- Is there anything we should know that isn't on your application? Have a short answer ready, such as a class in progress or hours not yet documented.
What to bring and do
- Transcripts (high school or GED, college, trade school) showing the algebra the program requires.
- Proof of hours: pay stubs, W-2s, or letters on company letterhead with total hours and the kind of work.
- A DD-214 if you served, and certificates (OSHA 10, CPR, pre-apprenticeship).
- A letter of recommendation if the program scores one. Minneapolis scores letters in order of who wrote them, from a union electrical contractor at the top down to an employer and "other".
- Arrive early, and answer the question asked. None of the programs above sets a dress code; dress as you would for any job interview.
After the interview
You go on the ranked list and wait for an opening; the ALLIANCE keeps names for two years, Southern Nevada one. Southern Nevada also lets you ask for a re-interview after 90 days if you have added 450 hours of documented electrical work or two related classes, which shows the usual way to move up: more documented hours and more classes. Warren JATC goes further for experienced applicants: with 4,000 documented hours you still take the test, but no minimum score is required for the interview.
Who sells interview prep
Most aptitude-test prep stops at the test. These include the interview (prices read November 13, 2026, from each seller's page):
- iPrep: its $49.95 IBEW course (30 days) includes a bonus "Interview Board Prep" module. iPrep
- Ultimate Electrician's Guide: a Test + Interview Bundle, $90 for a year, against $60 for test prep alone. Ultimate Electrician's Guide
- Electrician Tutor: every plan ($9.99 a month, $49 a year or $79 once) includes IBEW interview prep. Electrician Tutor
- Electric Prep, which says it partners with the NJATC: an Interview Skills course, $29.95 for 270 days. Electric Prep
- JobTestPrep: AI-driven interview prep, $19 to $29 depending on the pack, sold beside its IBEW pack. JobTestPrep
ClassMetric's Union Aptitude Prep ($39 once) covers only the math and reading test, not the interview. Free help works too: a local pre-apprenticeship program, or a journeyman willing to run a mock interview with you. The full comparison of test prep is on the home page.