Program Structure
The Electrical Training Institute (ETI), run by the San Diego Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, offers a five-year Inside Wireman apprenticeship. Apprentices complete about 8,000 hours of paid on-the-job training with licensed electrical contractors throughout San Diego County and at least 1,000 hours of related classroom, lab and online instruction. Early courses run in a two-week day-school format and cover electrical theory, code, blueprints, conduit bending, motor controls and newer topics such as solar, battery storage and EV charging. Work centers on commercial and industrial systems: conduit, wiring, cables, motor controls and panelboards. The San Diego campus is at 4675 Viewridge Ave.; ETI also lists an Imperial County location at 2420 Imperial Business Park Dr., Imperial, and serves cities in both counties.
Requirements
The application page sets a minimum age of 17½; California's apprenticeship database lists 18, so confirm the age rule before applying. You need a high school diploma, GED or CHSPE certificate, proven by official transcripts, and one year (two semesters) of high school algebra, one semester of college algebra, or the Electrical Training Alliance Tech Math course. A valid driver's license is required. Documents must be uploaded as PDFs, and foreign transcripts need a certified English translation. Selected applicants attend orientation and then a drug screening.
Application Process
Applications are available online and may be submitted at any time. Qualified applicants take a roughly three-hour aptitude test at ETI covering algebra and reading comprehension, with results sent by email. Those who pass have an oral interview with the Apprenticeship Committee; interview scores place them in the Pool of Eligible Applicants for up to two years. Selection timing depends on the needs of the electrical construction industry, and new apprentice classes are scheduled on demand, so applying does not set a start date. You may re-interview after one year if you gain electrical experience or trade coursework.
What You Earn
Apprentices are paid while training and get raises about every six months. When checked on October 6, 2026, ETI's FAQ listed a first-period rate of $23.58 an hour (40% of the journeyman wage), rising to $48.34 (82%) in the tenth period, with journeyman inside wiremen at $58.95; it gives no effective date, so confirm current rates. Benefits through the collective bargaining agreement may include health coverage and retirement contributions. There are no tuition or registration fees; apprentices buy required books and hand tools. California's Division of Apprenticeship Standards lists the program as a 60-month Electrician (Inside Wireman) apprenticeship. State electrician certification is a separate step.