How the list is built
Your interview and a review of your qualifications produce a ranking score. Ranked applicants go on an eligibility list, and as positions open, names come off the list in order of score. If you aren't selected while the list is valid, you have to reapply.
Programs without an interview rank differently. Boston, Phoenix and Washington, DC use the aptitude test plus a written experience form instead.
List rules at each program
| Program | How long you stay ranked |
|---|---|
| Local 11 · Los Angeles | Ranked on a pool of eligible candidates. Applicants report about 400 on the list. |
| Local 26 · Washington, DC area | Everyone is ranked at the end of the cycle. If you aren't picked, you stay on the list for up to 2 years. |
| Local 332 · San Jose | Ranked by your interview score, the committee's average out of 100. Applications stay on file for up to 2 years. |
| Local 440 · Riverside | Ranked by interview score. The list lasts 1 year from your interview. |
| Local 595 · Alameda County (East Bay) | The eligible list expires 12 months after your interview. About 40–75 apprentices start each year. |
| Local 569 · San Diego | Your interview score places you in the pool of eligible applicants for up to 2 years. |
| Local 103 · Boston | Selection weighs your aptitude test score and GAN-reviewed experience form; a higher test score helps. Thousands apply each year for a limited number of spots. |
| Local 716 · Houston | Ranked by interview score. The committee interviews and takes apprentices monthly, year-round, as the industry needs them. |
| Local 292 · Minneapolis | Ranked by total score. You stay on the eligibility list up to a year; hiring is usually late spring to early summer, from #1 down. |
| Local 48 · Portland | Ranked by interview score. You get a one-time email with your rank, and apprentices are taken from the top as work picks up. |
| Local 58 · Detroit | Accepted applicants go on a selection list for one year. If you aren't selected in that time, you reapply. |
Why your rank moves
- New interviews: anyone who scores higher than you after your interview goes above you.
- Demand: calls depend on how many apprentices contractors ask for, so a rank that gets called one year may wait the next.
- People drop off: applicants above you take other jobs or don't answer, which moves you up.
Applicants report ranks such as 34th → 4th → 13th and 12th → 19th over a few months. Reported ranks that got a call: Local 11: 21, 34; Local 354: 2, 15, 45; Local 640: 1, 2. See more reported scores and ranks.
What you can do while you wait
- Reinterview if allowed: the East Bay (Local 595) allows one after 90 days with 450+ work hours or two college electrical courses; San Diego after one year.
- Work in the field: helper, construction wireman or low-voltage jobs add hours and interview stories.
- Apply to more than one program: merit-shop programs (IEC, ABC) often accept within months.
- Keep your contact details current so you don't miss a call.
Track your applications and rank across programs in one place.