Electrician apprenticeships in Virginia

To apply to M.C. Dean, you apply to a job posting, and you must be at least 18 years old. Go to the M.C. Dean careers site, search for apprentice openings and apply to one near you. The postings ask for these things.

• a high school diploma or GED
• a valid driver's license with a good record
• reliable transportation
• a passed background check and drug test

The Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding charges no tuition. The school takes applications with no deadline, and admission is competitive. You must be a U.S. citizen, because the shipyard work requires a security clearance.

Electrician is the largest trade at The Apprentice School. In the federal data, its recent electrician apprentices started at a median of $21.74 an hour. The school tells you your pay after it makes you an offer.

The Richmond Electricians' JATC apprenticeship takes about 4 years. You need 8,000 hours on the job and 720 hours of classroom instruction, with class for a full day every other week from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm. When you complete the program, the committee gives you the paperwork to apply for the state journeyman license, and the committee says you don't need to take the state test.

Each of the 4 years at the Richmond Electricians' JATC has 2 registration days that cost $600 each. The total is $4,800. You also buy safety-toe boots, basic tools and a laptop.