Program Structure
The Electrical Training Alliance of Silicon Valley (ETASV) runs a five-year Inside Commercial Wireman apprenticeship. Apprentices work under the supervision of a qualified journeyman electrician, installing and maintaining wiring for light, heat, power and signaling systems in residential, commercial and industrial buildings, plus street lighting, traffic signals and other outdoor work. Pay advances through ten pay periods based on work hours and completed schooling, and regular attendance at work and class is required. The training center is at 1873 Barber Lane in Milpitas. You must be able to reach job sites within ETASV's jurisdiction early and on time; the sponsor does not publish a jurisdiction map. Graduates become journeymen electricians.
Requirements
You must be at least 18 on the date of application, with photo ID and a high school diploma, GED or equivalent. You need one full year (two semesters) of high school Algebra or Algebra II with a C or better in each semester, or one college algebra semester with a C or better, shown on an official sealed transcript or a Parchment transcript sent directly to ETASV. If you don't meet that math requirement, you can instead take the online Tech Math course from SkillsPrep.org and upload its completion certificate by the third day of the month. Documents must be in English. Before referral to work you need a valid California driver's license and reliable transportation. You must be physically able to do construction work, distinguish wire colors and understand English instructions. Documented 4,000 hours with a C-10 contractor can replace the diploma and algebra requirements, and qualifying military technical training lets veterans skip the aptitude test. Drug screening precedes placement.
Application Process
Online applications open at 8:00 a.m. on the first day of each month and stay open for the first three days only, capped at 300 a month. Upload your diploma or GED during that window and get official transcripts to ETASV by close of business on day three, or the application is purged. ETASV processes applications within 30 days. Qualified applicants are emailed an aptitude test date (algebraic functions and reading comprehension) roughly one to three months later; passing leads to an oral interview and a place on the ranking list, which is used to call applicants for jobs as openings occur. Applications stay on file for up to two years.
What You Earn
Wages and benefits follow the collective bargaining agreement. ETASV's wage sheet pays the first period $42.99 an hour (45% of the journeyman rate) from June 1, 2026, rising to $85.98 by the 10th; IBEW Local 332 lists the journeyman rate as $95.53 through May 31, 2027. California's apprenticeship database listed $40.96, undated. There are no fees for apprentice classes. You buy school books, about $430 a year, and hand tools, about $500. California's Division of Apprenticeship Standards lists the program as Inside Wireman (Electrician), 60 months. Completing the apprenticeship is separate from California electrician certification.