NJATC Aptitude Test: What It Is Now and How It Works

If a local union hall or a friend in the trade told you to sign up for the NJATC aptitude test, you may have searched for it and found pages calling it the IBEW aptitude test, the Electrical Training Alliance test, or the electrical apprenticeship test. They’re all the same exam.

This guide explains where the old name comes from, who has to take the test, what’s on it, what happens on test day, how scoring and retakes work, and what comes after. Everything here comes from the Electrical Training Alliance’s own instructions for applicants, unless noted otherwise. Local programs can add their own rules, so read anything yours sends you.

What is the NJATC aptitude test?

It’s the entrance test used by electrical apprenticeship programs run jointly by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). It has two parts, algebra and functions and reading comprehension, and you take it after your application is accepted and before your interview.¹

NJATC stands for the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, which the IBEW and NECA created in 1941 to develop and standardize training for the electrical industry. In July 2014, the NJATC announced it was becoming the Electrical Training Alliance, a name its leaders said better described a network of more than 300 training centers in the United States and Canada, plus industry partners and schools.²

The test itself didn’t get a new name everywhere. The Electrical Training Alliance’s own application instructions still call it the “NJATC aptitude test battery,”¹ which is why so many applicants and local programs still use that name.

NJATC, Electrical Training Alliance, IBEW: one test, several names

Name you’ll see	What it refers to
NJATC aptitude test	The original name, still used in official applicant instructions
Electrical Training Alliance (ETA) aptitude test	The same test, under the organization’s name since 2014
IBEW aptitude test	The same test, named after the union whose apprenticeships use it
JATC aptitude test	The same test, named after the local training center that schedules it

If a prep course or website describes a different format, such as a mechanical section, it isn’t describing this test. The official battery has only the two parts below.¹

Who has to take the test?

You take it after you apply to a local apprenticeship program, usually called a JATC (joint apprenticeship and training committee), and your application meets its basic requirements. According to the Electrical Training Alliance, those requirements may include:¹

• A minimum age, set by the local program.
• One full year of high school algebra with a passing grade, or one algebra course after high school.
• A high school diploma or GED, or a two-year associate degree or higher instead.
• Official transcripts for your high school and any later education, or your GED records.

Some programs add other requirements, such as a drug test, a physical exam, a background check or a valid driver’s license. If you’ve already worked in electrical construction, the basic requirements can sometimes be waived if you can document enough work hours.¹ For the whole application process, from finding your local program to the eligibility list, see how to join IBEW.

The official wording is that you’ll be scheduled for the test “if required,” so a few programs or paths may not use it. Ask your local program.

What’s on the NJATC aptitude test?

The battery has two timed tests with a short break between them:¹

Test	Questions	Time
Algebra and Functions	33	46 minutes
Reading Comprehension	36	51 minutes

A few rules matter for how you prepare and how you take it:

• No calculator. Pencils and all other materials are provided. Even a watch with a built-in calculator has to come off.¹
• No penalty for guessing. Your score is based on the number of questions you answer correctly, so answer every question.¹
• No electrical knowledge needed. The Electrical Training Alliance says previous knowledge of electrical work isn’t required, and you don’t need to memorize formulas or facts.¹
• Pace yourself. The official advice is to work steadily and carefully, and not to spend too much time on any one question.¹

For a closer look at each section, see the official sample questions,³ our example IBEW aptitude test questions with answers, and our IBEW aptitude test study guide, which maps every topic to a free Khan Academy unit.

What to expect on test day

The two tests take about two and a half hours, and the Electrical Training Alliance tells applicants to plan on spending about three hours at the test center.¹ Its checklist for test day:

• Bring a photo ID. It’s checked before you can start: “No ID, No Test, No Exceptions!”
• Arrive at least 15 minutes early.
• Don’t bring a calculator.
• Arrange childcare. Children aren’t allowed at the test center.
• Get a good night’s rest and eat a meal beforehand.

Two rules catch people off guard. First, you have to finish both tests in the same session. If you leave early, you’re scored only on the questions you completed, and you can’t come back another day to finish. Second, if you get sick or have an emergency, contact your local program; rescheduling is possible but not guaranteed.¹

If you have a disability, including a learning disability, that could affect your test, tell the local program before your test date or as soon as you’re scheduled. Requests made on the day of the test can’t be handled that day, and you’ll usually need documentation of the disability and of the accommodation you need.¹

How the test is scored

Your local program receives the results about two to four weeks after the test, and then contacts you about your application.¹ According to the Electrical Training Alliance, you’re told whether or not you got a qualifying score, but exact scores aren’t provided to applicants.¹

Many local programs describe the results on a scale of 1 to 9, with 9 the highest. IBEW Local 99, for example, tells applicants that most apprenticeships require at least a 4 to be considered for an interview.⁴ Each program sets its own cutoff, and some rank applicants by score, so a 4 isn’t a guarantee of an interview everywhere.

Can you retake the test?

Yes. The Electrical Training Alliance says a full three months (90 days) must pass after your most recent test date before you can take it again. If you retest early, your score isn’t valid and you have to wait another 90 days. Willful attempts to get around the rule can lead to permanent disqualification.¹

Here’s where it gets confusing. The same official page also mentions a “six month rule” for later retakes, and some local programs still tell applicants the wait is six months. IBEW Local 99’s prep sheet, for example, says six months and adds that the rule applies at any JATC in the country.⁴ Before you schedule a retake, ask the program you’re applying to which waiting period it follows.

What happens after you qualify?

If you get a qualifying score, you’ll be scheduled for an oral interview with a committee of IBEW and NECA representatives. Based on the interview and your qualifications, you get an overall ranking and your name goes on an eligibility list for two years. As apprenticeship openings come up, applicants are taken from the list in order of their ranking. If you aren’t selected in those two years, you’ll need to reapply.¹

That makes the interview just as important as the test. Our guide to IBEW interview questions explains what the panel scores and how to prepare.

How to prepare for the test

The Electrical Training Alliance’s advice is simple: review the sample questions, and if certain types are hard for you, study material similar to them.¹ In practice, most people need to rebuild arithmetic without a calculator and review first-year algebra, then practice reading technical passages at the test’s pace.

1. Find your weak spots. Our free practice test runs at the real test’s pace, with no calculator, and links every topic you miss to the Khan Academy unit that teaches it.
2. Study by topic. The study guide lists the exact units to work through and includes a six-week plan.
3. Practice on paper and on the clock. You’ll have about 84 seconds per algebra question and 85 per reading question.

Frequently asked questions

Is the NJATC aptitude test the same as the IBEW aptitude test?

Yes. NJATC is the old name of the Electrical Training Alliance, the organization behind the aptitude test used by IBEW and NECA electrical apprenticeships. The official applicant instructions still call it the NJATC aptitude test battery, but it’s the same two-part test of algebra and functions and reading comprehension.

Is the NJATC aptitude test hard?

It’s challenging mainly because there’s no calculator and the math is first-year algebra, which many applicants haven’t studied in years. The Electrical Training Alliance says most applicants have plenty of time to finish without rushing, and no electrical knowledge is required. Reviewing the specific topics on the test makes a big difference.

What is a passing score on the NJATC aptitude test?

There’s no single national passing score. Applicants are told whether they received a qualifying score, not their exact score. Many local programs describe results on a 1 to 9 scale and consider applicants with a 4 or higher for an interview, but each program sets its own rules. We list the minimums by program in our guide to the IBEW aptitude test passing score.

How long does the NJATC aptitude test take?

The two tests take about two and a half hours in total: 46 minutes for algebra and functions, 51 minutes for reading comprehension, plus instructions and a short break. The Electrical Training Alliance recommends planning on about three hours at the test center.

How long do you have to wait to retake the NJATC aptitude test?

The Electrical Training Alliance’s applicant instructions say a full three months (90 days) after your most recent test, and retesting early makes your score invalid. Some local programs still describe a six-month wait, so confirm the rule with the program where you applied before scheduling.

Sources

1. Electrical Training Alliance. Applying for an apprenticeship. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸

2. Electrical Training Alliance. NJATC transitions into the Electrical Training Alliance (press release, July 28, 2014; PDF). ↩

3. Electrical Training Alliance. Preparing for the test: sample questions. ↩

4. IBEW Local 99. Aptitude and reading examination prep sheet (PDF). ↩ ↩²