Apprenticeship aptitude tests: which trade uses which test
Union apprenticeships do not share one test. Electricians take the Electrical Training ALLIANCE test, elevator constructors take the EIAT, and pipe trades, sheet metal and maintenance programs leave the choice to each local or employer. Find your trade below, see exactly what is on its test, then practise in that format.
Quick answer
Electrical (IBEW) apprenticeships use the Electrical Training ALLIANCE aptitude test: algebra and reading, no calculator. Elevator apprenticeships use the EIAT: reading, mechanical and math, 70 percent to pass. Plumbers, pipefitters and sheet metal workers sit whatever test their local picks, and plant maintenance apprenticeships usually use a Ramsay or Bennett mechanical test.
Which apprenticeship uses which test
The test is set by the program, so the same trade can differ from one local to the next. When in doubt, the application page of the local or employer you are applying to is the final word.
| Trade | Test used | What is on it | Pass mark | Practise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician (inside wireman, residential, telecom) IBEW and NECA local JATCs, Electrical Training ALLIANCE | Electrical Training ALLIANCE aptitude test (formerly NJATC) | Algebra and functions (33 questions, 46 min) and reading comprehension (36 questions, 51 min). No calculator. | Each local sets its own qualifying score | |
| Outside lineman IBEW and NECA line JATCs | The same Electrical Training ALLIANCE aptitude test | Same two sections as the inside apprenticeship. | Set by the line JATC | |
| Elevator constructor IUEC locals through NEIEP | EIAT (Elevator Industry Aptitude Test) | 100 multiple-choice questions: reading 35, mechanical 35, math 30. Separate tool assessment. | 70 percent, pass or fail | |
| Plumber, pipefitter, steamfitter UA locals and their JATCs | No single test: GAN battery, ACT WorkKeys, TABE, Wiesen or a local math test | Depends on the local. Local 597 Chicago uses a five-part GAN battery. | Set by each local | |
| Sheet metal worker SMART locals and their JATCs | Varies: Criteria CBST and CCAT, or a basic math and reading test | Local 83 (NY) uses Criteria tests; a Washington JATC uses 15 math and 20 reading questions. | Set by each local | |
| Industrial maintenance, millwright, mechanic Employer-run apprenticeships (plants, utilities, mills) | Employer-chosen: Ramsay MAT, Ramsay maintenance tests, Bennett (BMCT) or Wiesen | Mechanical reasoning pictures; maintenance tests add electrical, hydraulics and tools. | Set by the employer | |
| Carpenter, ironworker, operating engineer UBC, Ironworkers and IUOE locals | No common test: a local math and reading test, a skills assessment, or none | Usually basic math and reading. | Set by each local | No dedicated practice yet |
Practise the test your trade uses
Each practice form is original, timed to the real format, and explains every answer. Start with the free form to see your weakest section.
Algebra and functions plus reading comprehension, in the two-section Electrical Training ALLIANCE format, no calculator.
Practice form: 69 questions, 97 min
Reading, mechanical aptitude and math in the 100-question EIAT layout, aiming for the 70 percent line.
Practice form: 100 questions, 90 min
Battery-style forms (reading, math, mechanical, spatial) and math-test forms for UA plumbing and pipefitting locals.
Practice form: 60 questions, 55 min
Picture-based mechanical reasoning: levers, gears, pulleys and forces, the most common employer screen for apprentice mechanics.
Practice form: 36 questions, 20 min
Mechanical, electrical, hydraulics and tools knowledge for multicraft and industrial maintenance roles.
Practice form: 60 questions, 60 min
The Bennett (BMCT) style used by many employers, and part of the GAN battery at Pipe Fitters Local 597.
Practice form: 55 questions, 25 min
IBEW and NECA
What aptitude test do electrical apprentices take?
The Electrical Training ALLIANCE aptitude test, still widely called the NJATC test: algebra and functions, then reading comprehension, with no calculator.
The test is the same across IBEW and NECA local JATCs, for inside wireman, residential, telecommunications and outside line apprenticeships. The algebra and functions section has 33 questions in 46 minutes; reading comprehension has 36 questions in 51 minutes, with a short break between them. There is no penalty for guessing, so answer every question.
There is no national pass mark. Applicants are told whether they qualified, and each local sets its own cutoff: one Washington JATC's registered standards ask for a 5 for inside wireman and a 4 for limited energy. If you do not qualify, you can retest after 90 days. A qualifying score leads to the interview, which decides your rank on the list.
Practice: IBEW aptitude test guide, free IBEW practice test and the NJATC test guide.
Sources: Electrical Training ALLIANCE: applying for apprenticeship; Washington L&I: Inland Empire Electrical JATC standards.
IUEC and NEIEP
What test do elevator constructor apprentices take?
The Elevator Industry Aptitude Test (EIAT): 100 multiple-choice questions on reading, mechanical aptitude and math. You need 70 percent.
NEIEP runs the EIAT for IUEC locals. Its 2024 study guide lists 35 reading comprehension, 35 mechanical aptitude and 30 math questions. NEIEP reports only pass or fail, and applicants who do not pass can apply again in a later recruitment.
A separate tool assessment checks that you can recognise and use common hand tools. It counts toward your interview score, not your EIAT score, so it is worth an evening with a tool catalogue before the day.
Practice: EIAT guide and free EIAT practice test.
Sources: NEIEP: EIAT study guide (2024); NEIEP: elevator industry FAQ.
UA plumbers and pipefitters
Is there one aptitude test for plumbers and pipefitters?
No. The UA does not set a national test, so each local's JATC chooses its own: a GAN battery, ACT WorkKeys, TABE, the Wiesen mechanical test or a local math test.
Pipe Fitters Local 597 in Chicago uses a GAN battery with five parts: reading, numerical comprehension, numerical reasoning, spatial reasoning and Bennett mechanical aptitude. Other locals use ACT WorkKeys, TABE (Plumbers Local 1 in New York asks for a TABE assessment and an interview), the Wiesen Test of Mechanical Aptitude, or their own timed math test, often without a calculator.
Because the content changes by local, practise the shared core: fractions, percentages, basic algebra, tape reading and mechanical pictures. Then check the local's application page for the exact test.
Practice: pipe trades aptitude guide, free pipe trades practice test and the Wiesen mechanical guide.
Sources: Pipe Fitters Local 597 Training Fund: testing; NY Department of Labor: Plumbers Local 1 recruitment notice.
SMART sheet metal workers
What test do sheet metal apprentices take?
It depends on the local. Some use Criteria tests, including the CCAT; others use a short math and reading test.
Sheet Metal Local 83 in New York's Capital District uses Criteria's basic skills test (CBST) together with the CCAT. A Washington and Idaho JATC uses a basic aptitude test of 15 math and 20 reading questions, and asks for 8 math and 14 reading correct.
Practice: if your local names the CCAT, use the CCAT guide and free CCAT practice test. For a math and reading test, the algebra and reading forms in the IBEW practice are a close match.
Sources: NY Department of Labor: Sheet Metal Local 83 recruitment notice; Washington L&I: NE Washington and N Idaho Sheet Metal JATC standards.
Employer apprenticeships
What test do maintenance and mechanic apprenticeships use?
The employer chooses, and the usual choices are mechanical reasoning tests: the Ramsay Mechanical Aptitude Test, a Ramsay maintenance test, the Bennett (BMCT) or the Wiesen.
Plants, mills and utilities that run their own maintenance, millwright or mechanic apprenticeships screen with off-the-shelf tests. Ramsay positions its Mechanical Aptitude Test (36 questions in 20 minutes) for apprentice and trainee maintenance roles and leaves the cut score to the employer. Maintenance tests such as Ramsay's MecTest and MultiCrafTest go further, into electrical, hydraulics, welding and tools.
Practice: Ramsay MAT, Ramsay maintenance, Bennett mechanical and Wiesen mechanical.
Carpenters, ironworkers, operating engineers
Do carpenters, ironworkers and operating engineers take an aptitude test?
There is no common test. Locals use their own math and reading test, a skills assessment, or no test at all.
The Washington State UBC carpenters JATC uses a scored skills assessment and a physical agility test rather than a named aptitude test. Ironworkers Local 25 asks applicants to sit a local aptitude test within 30 days of applying. The IUOE Western States operating engineers program uses math and reading tests, where 70 percent can stand in for a high school diploma.
For these trades, basic math and reading practice is the best preparation: the algebra and reading sections of the free IBEW practice test cover the same ground.
Sources: Washington L&I: Washington State UBC JATC standards; Ironworkers Local 25: apprenticeship application; Washington L&I: IUOE Western States operating engineers standards.
Apprenticeship aptitude test FAQs
Know your test. Now see where you stand.
Take a free, timed practice form in the format your apprenticeship uses, with every answer explained.
Independent practice, not affiliated with the IBEW, NECA, the Electrical Training ALLIANCE, NEIEP, the IUEC, the UA or any test publisher.