The National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Center (NJATC)
was created over 58 years ago and has developed into what perhaps is the largest
apprenticeship and training program of its kind. Local programs affiliated with
the NJATC have trained over 300,000 apprentices to journeyman status without
cost to the taxpayers. This joint program between the National Electrical
Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers (IBEW) has clearly demonstrated the most cost effective way to train
qualified craft workers.
The mission of the NJATC is to develop and standardize training to educate the
members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the National
Electrical Contractors Association; insuring and providing the Electrical
Construction Industry with the most highly trained and highly skilled workforce
possible. The NJATC has developed uniform standards that are adopted and used
nationwide to select and train literally thousands of qualified men and women.
Through the NJATC, the IBEW and NECA have hundreds of local programs offering
apprenticeship and training for Residential Wiremen, Journeyman Linemen,
Journeyman Tree Trimmers, Journeyman Inside Wiremen and Telecommunication VDV
Installer-Technicians.
In addition to receiving skill training on the job, NJATC's apprentices are
provided trade related classroom training that produces competency and pride
that lead to true craftsmanship. Quite often some local training committees
provide special classes with hands-on training to support classroom lectures and
discussions.
The NJATC is also committed to developing and providing skills upgrade training
to keep the Journeyman-level workforce as current and up-to-date as possible in
the newest technologies. The NJATC works directly with equipment manufacturers
and technology developers of a variety of tools, equipment and supplies,
searching for the most up-to-date information available. Once a new training
need has been identified, the NJATC designs an appropriate training course,
provides instructor training and distributes the training materials to local
JATCs to help them meet their local training need requirements.
The NJATC's local programs are training tens of thousands of
journeyman level workers each year. Millions of dollars are invested each year
to ensure that these individuals are the best training workers in the industry.
There are four specialty areas where you will find electrical
workers:
Outside Linemen are the electrical workers who
install the distribution and transmission lines, that move power from power
plant to a factory, a business, or your home.
Inside Wiremen are electrical workers who install
the power, lighting, controls and other electrical equipment in commercial and
industrial buildings.
VDV Installer Technicians are electrical workers
who install circuits and equipment for telephones, computer networks, video
distribution systems, security and access control systems and other low voltage
systems.
Residential Wiremen are electrical workers who specialize in installing all of
the electrical systems in single-family and multi-family houses or dwellings.
Each of the four types of electrical work share common skills and knowledge.
Each also has other skills and knowledge, which are specific to that particular
area of work. Because of these differences, each type of work has a different
apprenticeship program associated with it.
