ABC Electricians School: How To Join the ABC Electrical Apprenticeship Program in 2025

Last updated on February 27th, 2024.

The ABC Electrical Apprenticeship, a key part of the Associated Builders and Contractors, connects you to a nationwide network with 70 chapters and 21,000 members. It’s where your career gets supercharged.

ABC doesn’t only train future electricians.

They have programs that teach plumbing, carpentry, HVAC, masonry, and sheet metal as well.

Focusing solely on the electrical side, we’ll skip the plumbing talk and get straight to what sparks your interest.

Let’s dive into how the ABC electrical apprenticeship program works ????????

How the ABC Electrical Apprenticeship Works

ABC Electrical Apprenticeship is an approved training program with the Department of Licensing.

If you’re a veteran, ABC can help file the correct paperwork for assistance in Veteran’s Administration benefits.

The electrical apprenticeship is career education combining extensive on-the-job training and related classroom instruction. In most apprenticeships, the programs only last four years.

During this time the electrician apprentice works under the supervision and guidance of a licensed electrician.

Many of the ABC electrical apprenticeship classes are held at night so apprentices can work full time and earn a wage while in school.

An apprentice’s pay generally starts at about 50 percent of an experienced electrician and increases throughout the apprenticeship.

ABC apprentices must receive a minimum of 144 hours of classroom instruction each year.

ABC Apprenticeship Admission Requirements

  1. You must be at least 18 years old
  2. A high school diploma or GED is required
  3. Be in a (relatively) good physical condition
  4. Have dependable transportation

Once you check off all the requirements, the next step is simple: submit your signed application along with your enrollment deposit, which varies by chapter, to kickstart your journey.

The instructors at ABC are NCCER certified and have experience working in the electrical industry.

The electrical apprenticeship is a four-year program that covers just about everything you’ll find in the electrical trade.

The program is broken down by year of training with a specific order of instruction.

First Year Apprenticeship

Course topics will include:

  • Basic Safety
  • Introduction to Construction Math
  • Introduction to Hand Tools
  • Introduction to Power Tools
  • Introduction to Blueprints
  • Basic Rigging
  • Electrical Safety
  • Hand Bending
  • Fasteners and Anchors
  • Electrical Theory One
  • Electrical Theory Two
  • Electrical Test Equipment
  • Introduction to the National Electrical Code
  • Raceways
  • Boxes
  • Fittings
  • Conductors
  • Introduction to Electrical Blueprints
  • Wiring – Commercial, Industrial, and Residential.

Second Year Apprenticeship

abc electrical
Image Credit: ABC Nevada

Course topics will include:

  • Alternating Current
  • Motors (such as an induction motor or squirrel cage motor)
  • Theory and Application
  • Grounding
  • Conduit Bending
  • Boxes and Fittings
  • Conductor Installations
  • Cable Tray
  • Conduction Terminations and Splices
  • Installation of Electric Services
  • Circuit Breakers and Fuses
  • Conductors and Relays
  • Electric Lighting

Third Year Apprenticeship

Course topics include:

  • Load Calculations – Branch Circuits
  • Conductor Selection and Calculations
  • Over Current Protection
  • Raceway
  • Box and Fitting Fill Requirements
  • Wiring Devices
  • Distribution Equipment
  • Distribution System Transformers
  • Lamps
  • Ballasts and Components

Fourth Year Apprenticeship

Course topics include:

  • Load Calculations—Feeder and Services
  • Practical Applications of Lighting
  • Standby and Emergency Systems
  • Basic Electronic Theory
  • Fire Alarm Systems
  • Specialty Transformers
  • Advanced Controls
  • HVAC Controls
  • Welding Machines
  • Heat Tracing and Freeze Protection
  • Motor Maintenance
  • High Voltage Terminations/Splices

Upon completion of the apprenticeship, apprentices are encouraged to take the electrician licensing exam and become Journeyman electrician.

abc electrical apprenticeship craft trainingThere is another certification apprentices can earn from the National Center for Construction Education and Research. The NCCER is a national registry used by contractors who hire skilled workers.

The certification assessment is through the National Craft Assessment and Certification Program (NCACP). The NCACP evaluates journey-level skills and knowledge of professionals.

Download the assessment overview here: NCCER Craft Assessment

Credentials include certified, performance verified, and certified a plus. These industry credentials give employers confidence in the craft professional’s skill, knowledge, and desire for continuous improvement.

By earning an NCACP certification you’re able to show future employers you have the knowledge and skills to perform in the trade – which gives them higher quality craftsmanship and increased cost-effectiveness.

About ABC Electricians School

Founded in 1970 by seven forward-thinking contractors, ABC was born from the desire to award construction projects based on merit, ensuring the most qualified contractors win, without compromising on profitability or safety standards.

The idea is that the organization would help develop people, win work contracts while still making a profit, and holding their members to high safety standards.

Within the ABC electrical apprenticeship, you will hear the term “craft person”.

A craft person is someone who has demonstrated the necessary skills and passed the licensing exam to become a professional in their line of work.

You can find an ABC Electrical Apprenticeship Program near you by clicking here.

About Thomas Hawkins

I run Electrician Apprentice Headquarters, a one-stop-shop for learning how to become a licensed electrician in the USA. I'm a licensed Master Electrician with over 20 years experience working in the Mining & Construction industries. Why do I do it? Well, because even plumbers need heroes.

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