Interested in Applying
Please check back in fall of 2023 for the dates of our next application period.
To familiarize yourself with the application process:
1. Watch the INTRO VIDEO below.
2. Scroll down and make sure you meet all REQUIREMENTS listed below, including the jurisdiction requirement.
3. Scroll down and read the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS below.
REQUIREMENTS
In order to apply, you must meet the following requirements:
1) Age – Must be 18 years of age or older. (Those applying in 2023 must turn 18 by August 31, 2024.)
2) Education – Must have ONE of the following by June 2024: a) High School Diploma b) GED or HiSet c) Two-year Associates Degree or Higher
3) Application Fee – $50.00 Electrical Program, $50.00 Telecommunications Program; payable by Credit Card or Debit Card at the time of online application. Fee is non-refundable.
4) Drug test – Must be able to pass a drug test before beginning apprenticeship. The JATC has a zero tolerance policy for drug use. (Apprenticeship offers will be withdrawn upon positive drug test results.) Apprentices are drug tested throughout apprenticeship. As with most construction-related industries, our program does NOT permit the use of marijuana. Your pre-employment drug test and any subsequent random testing on the job and in school will be screened for such and you will be disqualified if tested positive. A list of banned substances and more information can be found at the JATC’s medical officer’s website; http://modernassistance.com/services/drug-testing/
5) This is a web-based program – Applicants must have a valid email address. Accepted Applicants are required to have access to the internet and a computer.
6) Aptitude Test – Aptitude Test S-72R77 will be scheduled for all applicants. Applicants for the Electrical Apprenticeship must score High to qualify for interview. Applicants for the Telecommunications Apprenticeship must score High or Medium to qualify for interview. Click here for Aptitude Test Description, Information and Tips
7) Other Requirements – Applicants must:
a) be legally eligible to work in the United States
b) live within the area covered by Local 103, IBEW Click here for a listing of towns in our jurisdiction
APPLICATION PROCESS
Frequently Asked Questions
We accept applications online during our scheduled application period in November each year. Application dates are normally announced on the website in the fall. There is a $50, non-refundable application fee for each program.
Electrical Apprentices are currently starting at $24.56 per hour. Telecomm Apprentices are currently starting at $22.10 per hour.
Not everyone who applies will get accepted because there are more qualified candidates than available jobs.
If you are selected as an apprentice you can expect to begin working for a Local 103, IBEW signatory contractor in June or July and school will begin in September. For example, someone applying in November 2023 will likely begin work in June or July 2024 and school in September 2024. These dates are subject to change.
Click here for a complete description of everything that is on the test.
Important info: Common mistakes Applicants make are not reading the Aptitude Test Description or referring to outside sources who may give incorrect information about the test. The description in the link here provides a complete, thorough list of what is on the test. There are no additional subjects on the test. There is no algebra on the test.
To prepare for the Aptitude Test you should:
- Read the Aptitude Test Description carefully. Click here for a complete description of everything that is on the test.
- Follow the suggested methods for studying listed under each subject.
There is an optional test prep course offered by an independent vendor: Lewis Latimer Test Prep Course Info
Disclaimer of Endorsement: Any reference in this website to any person, or organization, or activities, products, or services, related to such person or organization, or any linkages from this web site to the web site of another party, do not constitute or imply the endorsement, recommendation, or favoring of the JATC of Greater Boston, or any of its employees or contractors acting on its behalf.
If you scored High within the past three years, you will not be scheduled for the aptitude test again. You will receive notification that we will apply your previous test score to your current application.
If you are selected as an apprentice the JATC will assign you for employment with a Local 103 IBEW signatory contractor.
We don’t offer advanced placement in the program regardless of previous work of school experience.
There is no tuition. Applicants must pay the application fee and apprentices are required to purchase books and pay apprentice fees each year. Books and fees are approximately $500 to $950 per apprentice, per year.
Union membership is between the member and IBEW Local 103. If you are selected as an apprentice, you will begin paying union dues and scheduled for initiation into membership. The link to their website and contact information can be found here: https://the103advantage.com/
Health care costs are paid for by contributions the employers make as part of your hourly package that also includes an annuity and a local pension. For more information visit Local 103’s Trust Funds Office website at https://www.trustfunds103.com/
If you are accepted and we request your Covid-19 Vaccination Record, your card must show proof that you are fully vaccinated (“Fully vaccinated” means you received two (2) doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or one (1) dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine).
Please read the descriptions of both trades below.
Telecommunications Job Description
This apprenticeship leads to the Systems Technician “D” license. Technicians install, maintain, replace and repair electrical systems and equipment of under 100 volt-amperes, including protective signaling systems (fire alarm, nurse call, security), communications systems (data telecommunications, intercom and paging) and specialized control systems (HVAC, medical, boiler, clock and instrumentation). Technicians complete Cisco & CompTIA certifications to provide the skills and knowledge to install and maintain Network Hardware/Software/Data/Voice/Wireless/Security, Physical Security (Surveillance/Access Control/Forensic), IoT – Internet of Things (Sensors/Controls/Automation), and Audio-Visual Systems.
Telecommunications Working Conditions
Systems Technicians work indoors and outdoors. The work requires standing, bending and reaching in cold and wet conditions, and working either in confined crawl spaces or at heights. Tools used include: electrical metering devices, cable pulling devices, electrical hand tools, soldering tools, hammers, drills and side cutters.
Inside Wireman (Electrician) Job Description
This apprenticeship leads to the Journeyman Electrician ”B” license. Inside wiremen perform electrical installations, construction, maintenance, repair and service. They work on electrical construction projects ranging from single-family residences, high rise commercial projects to state-of-the-art industrial projects. They install conduits and wire lighting, switches, converters, and complex electrical systems.
Inside Wireman (Electrician) Working Conditions
Electricians work outside in the mud, dirt, cold, sun, rain and snow; inside and climate-controlled modern offices; and in clean rooms in hospitals and manufacturing plants. The work requires standing, bending, crawling, lifting, climbing, pulling and reaching and working in cramped spaces or on ladders and scaffolding. Hazards include falling, electric shocks, burns and falling objects.
APPRENTICESHIP OVERVIEW
The Greater Boston JATC Training Program offers the following apprenticeships, both designed to shape apprentices into well-rounded electricians or technicians, expert in the complete scope of their chosen field:
- Five-year Electrical Apprenticeship Program
- Five-year Telecommunications Program
Over the course of the five-year Electrical Construction Program, apprentices undergo 10,000 hours of on-the-job training with experienced journeypersons, plus 1,000 hours of intensive classroom instruction with qualified instructors. Through this rigorous training, Electrical Construction apprentices leave the program knowledgeable in the full scope of their field. In the five-year Telecommunications Program, apprentices complete over 1,000 hours of classroom instruction and 10,000 hours of on-the-job training before graduating as fully-qualified and certified technicians/installers.
How the apprenticeship program works
As an apprentice electrician or technician enrolled in the Greater Boston JATC Training Program, you work during the day on actual job sites where experienced journeypersons teach you the trade. One day per week, you attend classes in the cutting-edge classrooms and state-of-the-art laboratories of the Greater Boston JATC Training Center. This apprenticeship system enables you to receive full-time pay while gaining the experience and skills necessary to succeed as an electrician or technician.
Benefits of becoming an apprentice in the Greater Boston JATC
The Greater Boston JATC Apprenticeship Program offers a full range of benefits, from the financial to the personal:
- Unlimited advancement opportunities
- Membership in a community that takes pride in its work and supports its members
- The opportunity to work alongside seasoned professionals
- The chance to work on the most exciting, important projects in Boston
- Work that challenges mind and body
- Respect and recognition
- Healthy, cooperative workplace
- State-of-the-art, paid training
- Fair treatment and safe working conditions
- Job security
- Great benefits such as comprehensive health insurance and pension plans
- Excellent wages
Apprentice Tool Lists
The ability to use and manipulate the following tools, or other similar tools which may be required to perform electrical work is necessary for the apprenticeship program:
APPRENTICESHIP RESOURCES
Guide to Becoming a Union Trade Apprentice In Massachusetts: Union Trade Apprentice Guide
Building Pathways: https://buildingpathwaysma.org/
Build A Life: https://buildalifema.org/
PGTI – The Policy Group on Tradeswomen’s Issues: https://policygroupontradeswomen.org/