Program Structure
JATC Local 26's five-year Inside Metro apprenticeship combines paid electrical-contractor assignments with at least 8,000 hours of workplace training and 800 classroom hours. This entry covers the Washington, DC metropolitan and surrounding area. Roanoke, residential training and technology services are separate choices in the application system.
The JATC arranges contractor placements and normally rotates apprentices annually. During the first four years, classes meet one day every two weeks throughout the year, at least 23 days annually. The fifth year includes two skill-improvement courses, with evening attendance September through May. The listed Lanham facility is at 4371 Parliament Place, Suite A; confirm your assigned classroom and travel requirements.
Requirements
The Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council lists age 18, official high school transcripts or GED, passing Algebra 1 or equivalent, and aptitude testing. Confirm current document requirements with the JATC before paying. Its policies require a drug test before final acceptance and make apprentices responsible for transportation to assigned jobs.
Prepare evidence of education, employment and any military service for the Personal Experience Form. The current process uses this form instead of an interview. GAN awards points only for supported answers, so gather the records before its email arrives.
Application Process
The 2027 cycle is open as checked September 11, 2026. Applications close December 31, 2026, or earlier if 4,200 applications are purchased. Create a TradeSchool account through the official page, choose Inside Metro Area and pay the $125 processing fee.
TradeSchool requirements are due by the third Monday in January 2027; GAN forms by the third Monday in February. You also have two weeks from GAN's email to complete your form. Testing is scheduled from mid-February through mid-May. Follow any updates and do not expect selection notification before August. Ranking and a conditional offer precede acceptance; submitting an application is not a job offer.
What You Earn
Apprentices earn wages, with increases depending on work hours and satisfactory school performance. No annual earnings estimate is promised here. The sponsor says its Inside Wireman standards are approved in Maryland, Virginia and DC; that is a sponsor statement rather than an independent registry check.
The application fee is only part of the financial commitment. Policies permit charges for books and materials and require replacement of lost or damaged items. A scholarship commitment can require repayment of training expenses for electrical work outside Local 26 signatory employers. Review these terms and ask for complete costs before signing. Apprenticeship completion does not automatically confer a government electrician license.