The IBEW electrical apprenticeship aptitude battery tests algebra and functions and reading comprehension. Check the exact test named by your local training center, then practice both skills with the questions below.
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Confirm the test your training center uses
Start with the apprenticeship program that serves your area. Find its application page, check which test it names and follow the instructions in your invitation. The electrical training ALLIANCE publishes sample material for the aptitude battery used by participating IBEW–NECA training centers. An IEC or ABC program has its own intake process. Use that program’s instructions instead of assuming it uses the same battery.
What the aptitude battery covers
| Section | Questions | Time | What to practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algebra and Functions | 33 | 46 minutes | Solving equations, substituting values and interpreting functions |
| Reading Comprehension | 36 | 51 minutes | Finding evidence in a passage and separating stated rules from inferences |
This format is published by the NECA–IBEW Electrical Training Center and the IBEW JATC earnlearn program. Check the invitation for your local before using these timings.
How scoring and retests work
A qualifying test score can move you to the next application step. The JATC decides which score qualifies for its program and how it builds its ranked list. Ask your center what score it requires and how it treats a prior test. The electrical training ALLIANCE and the NECA–IBEW Electrical Training Center publish a three-month retest wait for the process they describe. Confirm the date from which your center counts the wait and whether you must submit a new application.
Free original practice questions
Algebra and functions
Practice budget: four minutes for the following problems. Work them on paper before opening the answers.
1. A bin contains 46 connectors. You take the same number from it on three visits and leave 19. How many did you take per visit?
Show answer and explanation
9. Write 46 − 3x = 19. Subtract 19 from 46 to get 27, then divide by 3.
2. A cutter’s setup time is modeled by T(n) = 6 + 2n minutes, where n is the number of lengths. Which order takes 30 minutes?
Show answer and explanation
12 lengths. Substitute 30 for T(n), subtract 6, then divide the remaining 24 by 2.
3. A line passes through (2, 7) and (6, 19). What is its slope?
Show answer and explanation
3. The rise is 19 − 7 = 12 and the run is 6 − 2 = 4. The slope is 12 ÷ 4.
Reading comprehension
Practice budget: four minutes to read the passage and answer both questions.
At a training workshop, the first crew records which practice boards need repair. The second crew checks the list before moving boards to storage. Boards marked for repair go to the instructor’s bench. The list is updated at the end of the session, after the instructor has reviewed the boards on the bench.
1. Who checks the list before moving boards?
Show answer and explanation
The second crew. The passage assigns recording to the first crew and checking before storage to the second.
2. Can you conclude that a board moved to the instructor’s bench was repaired during the session?
Show answer and explanation
No. The passage says the instructor reviews the boards before the list is updated. It does not say the review includes a repair.
Official references include the electrical training ALLIANCE applicant materials and the NECA–IBEW Electrical Training Center’s test guide.
Frequently asked questions
How should I practice for the JATC aptitude test?
Practice algebra and functions and answer reading questions from short passages. Compare your timing with the format in your local’s test invitation.
Where can I try free questions with explanations?
Use the original problems above and open each answer after you solve it. The electrical training ALLIANCE also publishes a separate sample.
Does passing the aptitude test mean I have a job?
A qualifying score can move you to the next application step. Ask your local about its interview, ranking and placement process.
Can I take the test again?
Check the retest policy in your local’s application instructions. The electrical training ALLIANCE and the NECA–IBEW Electrical Training Center publish a three-month wait for the process they describe.