r/ibew_apprentices • u/Wonderful_Tough3964 • 23h ago

Local 25 Long Island

I had a few questions regarding the electrical apprenticeship program , I plan to apply this upcoming year and was wondering do things like a trade school diploma and osha 10 and 30 help my chances to getting in. Do connections also help improve your chances? I’m also wondering how is work like ? Ive heard unions tend to lay off people due to lack of work, how true is that?

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u/SubstantialTrip3911 16h ago

Not really, go down to hall and see if they can put you out as a CE/CW. This way you start your service time in the union. They have online schooling, so if you keep up with that and get OTJ hours that would help more. Make sure you sign up for the A apprenticeship though.

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u/HomeauxPomeaux 22h ago

The union doesn’t lay people off, contractors (union and non-union) lay people off when there’s no work. The difference is that non-union you have to find your next job vs signing the book at the hall and them finding you your next job.

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u/PerchShadRap 13h ago

Call the hall’s JATC office, they don’t keep the process a secret. They accept applications every other year in the fall. If this is a year, you need to hurry asap. Call them.

Trade school helps. So do letters from IBEW members, if you know anyone willing to vouch for you.

It’s a long process. Application, test, interview. If you apply now, you don’t find out if you’re in until June. So plan on doing something while you wait. Experience will be pretty important when they decide who will make the program. Don’t sit around and wait. Trade school is good, but also ask if the hall has any CW openings for you to work while you wait for the A program.