Union route · the written test

The lineman aptitude test

There’s no separate lineman test. The IBEW outside-line programs that name their test all use the electrical training ALLIANCE (ETA, formerly NJATC) aptitude test: Algebra and Functions, 33 questions in 46 minutes, and Reading Comprehension, 36 questions in 51 minutes. About two and a half hours of testing (ETA says to plan on about three hours at the test center), no penalty for guessing, and a 90-day wait to retake.

Checked against official pages October 24, 2026. Non-official sources are labeled.

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The format

Section	Questions	Time	Pace
Algebra and Functions	33	46 min	about 84 sec each
Reading Comprehension	36	51 min	about 85 sec each

Your score is the number you get right; there’s no penalty for guessing, so never leave a question blank. ETA doesn’t send you the exact score, only whether you qualified. The test measures algebra and reading. It doesn’t test electrical knowledge, line work or climbing.

Which programs use it

Each program’s own wording, because they don’t all say the same thing:

Program	What its pages say	Published cutoff
SELCAT	No test on its pages	Not applicable (no test published)
ALBAT	Requires an aptitude test; doesn’t name it	Not published
Cal-Nev	Requires an aptitude test; doesn’t name it	Not published
Mo Valley	Names the ETA / NJATC test	“Minimum passing score”, number not published
MSLCAT	Named in its standards; timing unclear	Standards say the test is not used to disqualify
NEAT	Requires an aptitude test; doesn’t name it	3 on a 0–9 scale (published)
NW Line	Names the ETA / NJATC test	3 or higher (published)
SWLCAT	Names the ETA / NJATC test	Not published
AJEATT	Not published	Not published
PacifiCorp	Utility lineman apprenticeships (IBEW and UWUA locals); NJATC test, retake every 91 days	5 (UT, ID, WA, OR, N. CA); 4 (WY)

Utilities run their own tests. TVA has been reported to use the ETA test for its lineman apprentice program (we couldn’t open TVA’s page to confirm), while many investor-owned utilities use the EEI CAST test or their own online assessments. See which test each utility uses.

How to prepare

Know the pace. About 84 seconds a question. ETA says most applicants have plenty of time, but a practice run at pace shows you whether you do.
Algebra 1, not trade math. PacifiCorp’s own advice is to review Algebra 1. ETA’s sample items use formulas, number patterns and functions.
Reading is about the passage, not what you know. The right answer is the one the text proves.
Answer everything. No guessing penalty.
Retakes are slow. ETA makes you wait 90 days (six months after later retakes), and some programs only test monthly. Don’t walk in cold.

Common questions

Is there a separate lineman aptitude test?

No. The IBEW outside-line programs that name their test all name the electrical training ALLIANCE (formerly NJATC) aptitude test, the same one inside wiremen take.

What score do I need?

Only two programs publish one: NW Line and NEAT, both 3 (NEAT scores on a 0–9 scale; NW Line doesn’t state its scale). PacifiCorp’s utility lineman track publishes 5 (4 in Wyoming). The others say only “pass” or a “minimum passing score.”

How soon can I retake it?

The electrical training ALLIANCE says you can retake it after a full three months (90 days). NEAT makes you wait six months to re-apply if you score below 3.

Where these facts come from · all checked October 24, 2026