Short answer: Staying on track usually means attending required classes, passing coursework and completing supervised work hours, and your program’s written standards decide how those affect your progress and raises. CenTex IEC, for example, lists 36 classes a year, at least 144 classroom hours and a 70% passing grade, with about 2,000 work hours a year. (CenTex IEC program requirements). Houston JATC says apprentices get a raise after each year they complete. Federal rules for registered programs (29 CFR 29.5) require wages that increase as you progress, regular reviews of your work and class progress, and a probation period of no more than 25% of the term or one year, whichever is shorter, during which either side can end the agreement without cause.
Starting your first year as a Texas apprentice? The US$19 Texas First-Year Electrical Apprentice Kit gives you printable pages for the first months on the job: a tool-check card, a who-to-ask list with a short stop-and-ask script, emergency-contact and heat-and-rest cards, plus a Tool budget sheet and a Tool inventory sheet (CSV).
Log your Texas Journeyman hours free. A free Tsai Electro account keeps your supervised hours, your online practice scores and your exam date in one place. Start with a five-question check to see which topic to practice next.
Tsai Electro is an independent learning site. Not affiliated with TDLR or any apprenticeship program. Your program’s written standards and your apprenticeship agreement decide the exact rules, so keep a copy.
Check where you stand this year
Apprenticeship progress tracker
Enter the attendance, grade and work-hour targets from your program’s records for the same program year. The starting values are an example based on CenTex IEC, not rules for every program. This tracker shows your pace; it does not decide whether you advance or get a raise.
- Classes scheduled this year
- Classes held so far
- Classes I missed so far
- My current class average, percent
- Program passing grade, percent
- Work hours logged this year
- Work hours expected per year
- Weeks left in the year
What programs measure
| Measure | Example from a Texas program or federal rule | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Class attendance | CenTex IEC: 36 classes a year, at least 144 hours | Ask your program how missed classes are handled; its written standards set the attendance rules |
| Class grades | CenTex IEC: 70% passing grade | Completing the year’s coursework is part of moving up |
| Work hours | CenTex IEC and IEC San Antonio: about 2,000 hours a year | On-the-job hours also count toward the TDLR Journeyman license |
| Wage steps | Houston JATC: a raise after each completed year. Registered programs must have wages that increase as you progress | Check which requirements must be met before your next raise; pay rates are on Texas apprentice electrician pay |
| Drug testing | Houston JATC: scheduled and random tests | Ask your program for its written testing policy and what happens after a failed test |
Not in a program yet? The Texas Electrical Apprenticeship Entry Kit is for getting in, not for tracking grades once you are in. It has 1,366 math and 288 reading aptitude-test questions with worked answers, 8 timed simulations, 20 interview questions with a weak and a strong answer for each, an 8-question mock interview, a 7-day start plan, and 13 Texas apprenticeship programs checked on their own websites. Launch price US$49 through November 30, 2026, one payment, instant download.
Probation: the first stretch counts most
29 CFR 29.5 limits probation in a registered program to 25% of the term or one year, whichever is shorter, with full credit for the time served. During probation either you or the program can cancel the agreement without stating a cause. Ask your sponsor for the written procedures that apply after probation. Show up, pass your classes and log your hours from the first week.
Keep your own records
Your program uses progress records to review advancement under its written standards. For the Texas Journeyman license, TDLR requires an Experience Verification Form signed by each Master Electrician who supervised your hours. A weekly log of hours, employer, supervisor and class grades makes both easy. The free account above has a place to keep it.
What grade do you need to pass an electrical apprenticeship class?
It depends on the program. CenTex IEC lists a 70% passing grade. Ask your program for its written standard.
How often do electrical apprentices get raises?
Many programs raise pay as you complete each year or step. Houston JATC says apprentices get a raise after each completed year, and federal rules require registered programs to use wages that increase as you progress.
Can I be dropped from an apprenticeship during probation?
Yes. Under 29 CFR 29.5, either side can cancel the agreement during probation without cause. Probation can last no longer than 25% of the term or one year, whichever is shorter.
