Short answer: The GAN Aptitude Test is an apprentice selection battery. Electrical programs publish five or six sections covering computation, numerical reasoning, reading, paper folding, mechanical reasoning and sometimes problem solving. Timing, test day rules, score reporting and selection use depend on the program.
Some apprenticeship programs provide free preparation materials. Boston JATC, for example, says applicants receive a free digital GAN study guide and information about free in-person preparation classes. Check your own program’s resources before purchasing additional practice materials. This independent practice pack is optional and contains original questions, not official GAN test questions.
Get the GAN practice pack (US$29)
Original GAN-style practice, not official GAN questions.
What the GAN Aptitude Test is
GAN Human Resources says its battery was developed from a job analysis of skills needed in school and on the job. It assesses basic math, reading and spatial skills and is used for selection. GAN also says the battery has been administered to more than 200,000 applicants. That description is important because the test is not an electrical code exam. Minneapolis, Columbus, Fresno and Lincoln all state that electrical construction knowledge is not part of their GAN battery.
The practical purpose is to help an apprenticeship program compare applicants on a common set of aptitudes. A test result may be only one part of selection. Some programs also score a Personal Experience Form, supporting records and a recommendation. Other programs describe their process differently. Never assume that a strong practice percentage equals admission or even an official passing score.
Who uses GAN?
GAN says it serves more than 50 apprenticeship programs across several trades. The following electrical programs named GAN or a GAN process on official pages checked October 11, 2026. This is a verified sample, not a complete national directory.
| State or region | Program | What its page confirms |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Phoenix Electrical JATC | GAN application and testing process |
| Minnesota | Minneapolis Electrical JATC | Six section GAN battery and ranked eligibility list |
| Ohio | Electrical Trades Center, Columbus | Six section GAN battery and ranked eligibility list |
| California | Central California ETI, Fresno | Six section GAN battery and ranked eligibility list |
| Tennessee | Nashville Electrical JATC | GAN testing and eligibility ranking |
| Massachusetts | Boston JATC, Local 103 | Five section GAN test used in selection |
| Nebraska | Lincoln Electrical JATC, Local 265 | Six section GAN battery and rank list |
| Michigan | Kalamazoo Electrical Training Alliance | Five tested areas |
| Colorado | Denver JEATC, Local 68 | Five tested areas |
| DC, Maryland, Virginia | JATC Local 26 | GAN Personal Experience Form and ranked list |
Do not infer the test vendor from a program name. An IEC chapter, an ABC chapter or a JATC can set its own application steps and can change vendors or procedures. Verify the current application page and the appointment notice for the exact location. Texas readers can compare IEC Dallas, IEC Fort Worth, Centex IEC, IEC Greater San Antonio, IEC Texas Gulf Coast, ABC South Texas and ABC Greater Houston (CMEF) without assuming that any one of them uses GAN.
IEC, ABC and JATC labels do not tell you the test
| Label you may see | What it identifies | What it does not prove | Your next check |
|---|---|---|---|
| IEC chapter or member program | A program connected with Independent Electrical Contractors | That the program uses GAN or follows another chapter’s procedure | Open that chapter’s current application instructions |
| ABC chapter or training partner | A program connected with Associated Builders and Contractors | That every ABC location uses the same assessment | Confirm the named test, deadline and testing location |
| JATC or training alliance | A joint apprenticeship or training organization | That it uses GAN rather than the electrical training ALLIANCE test or another process | Read the exact local’s applicant page and appointment email |
This distinction prevents a common application error. Applicants sometimes prepare for a test associated with a national organization rather than the test named by their local program. The local instructions control.
The five or six sections
Official electrical program pages show two current patterns. Boston, Kalamazoo and Denver list five areas. Minneapolis, Columbus, Fresno and Lincoln list those five plus problem solving. A sixth label does not mean every question or every appointment is identical.
| Section | What it measures | Original miniature example |
|---|---|---|
| Numerical Computation | Accurate arithmetic with ordinary numerical operations | If 3 boxes hold 24 fittings equally, divide 24 by 3 to get 8 per box |
| Numerical Reasoning | Finding and extending a number rule | In 7, 10, 14, 19, the increases are 3, 4 and 5, so the next increase would be 6 |
| Reading | Understanding the meaning of a written passage | If a notice says documents are due before scheduling, testing cannot be scheduled from an incomplete file |
| Paper Folding | Visualizing a folded object in two or three dimensions | A mark away from one fold line mirrors to a second position when the fold is opened |
| Mechanical Reasoning or Comprehension | Understanding basic physical and mechanical relationships | Two touching external gears turn in opposite directions |
| Problem Solving, when listed | Applying information and rules to reach a result | If only complete files enter the schedule and one file lacks a transcript, that file is not ready to schedule |
These examples are original explanations of skill types. They are not GAN questions. They also do not predict the wording or difficulty of a specific test.
Numerical Computation
This section asks whether you can carry out basic arithmetic reliably. Build a written sequence: copy the values, select the operation, estimate the size of the answer, calculate and check. For an original example, suppose a crew uses 2.5 rolls each day for 4 days. Multiplication gives 10 rolls. The estimate also says the answer should be near 4 times 2.5, so a result such as 1 or 100 would signal an error.
Numerical Reasoning
This area is about the rule behind a series, not just fast arithmetic. Test first differences, changing differences, alternating operations and two interleaved series. For 5, 9, 7, 11, 9, the repeated pattern is plus 4, then minus 2. The next value is 13. Write the steps above the numbers instead of trying to hold the pattern in memory.
Reading
Reading questions reward exact use of the passage. Separate what the text states from what seems likely. An original short example says, "Applicants who finish both forms by Friday receive a scheduling email." If Dana finishes only one form, the passage does not support the claim that Dana will receive that email. The key is the word both.
Paper Folding
Paper folding tests spatial visualization. Treat each fold as a recorded mirror operation. Mark the order of folds, note whether a punch is on or away from each crease, then unfold in reverse order. For one vertical fold with a punch away from the crease, the simplified result has two mirrored positions. A punch exactly on the crease is not duplicated across that crease.
Mechanical Reasoning
Mechanical items use relationships such as direction, speed, force and distance. With two touching external gears, direction reverses at the contact. With a lever, compare force times distance from the pivot. With an ideal pulley model, count rope segments supporting the load. Name the relationship before calculating.
Problem Solving, if your program lists it
Programs that publish a six section format add problem solving. Do not assume what a five section program omits or folds into another label. Practice organizing conditions into a small table, eliminating choices that violate one condition, and checking the final choice against every condition.
How many questions and how much time?
GAN does not publish a universal public table of question counts or minutes per section. Program pages reviewed for this article also do not establish one national section schedule. Boston publishes a three hour in-person appointment, but that is Boston’s published appointment length, not a universal GAN specification.
Use the time in your own appointment notice. If the notice gives only a total appointment length, practice moving between sections without assuming that you may transfer unused time. If it gives no timing detail, ask the program before test day or follow the proctor’s instructions. Do not turn a third party estimate into a rule for your location.
What happens on test day?
Several official program pages provide a useful pattern, but the differences matter.
| Program | Published test day rule | Published result timing |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | Bring photo ID, no late admittance, materials provided, no calculators | Test score and rank number by email within four weeks |
| Columbus | Bring photo ID, no late admittance, materials provided, no calculators | Test score within 60 days |
| Fresno | Bring photo ID, no late admittance, materials provided, no calculators | Score and rank posted anonymously by application number, no timing stated |
| Nashville | Arrive 15 minutes early and do not use a calculator | Check the program’s current notice |
| Lincoln | Bring photo ID and GAN portal login credentials, materials provided, no calculators | Check the program’s current notice |
| Boston | Attend the scheduled in-person three hour test | Test results are not provided to applicants |
A safe sequence is to reread your appointment email the night before, confirm the location and arrival time, place the required photo ID where you will not forget it, and plan transportation with a buffer. At check-in, follow the proctor’s directions about personal belongings and supplied materials. Minneapolis and Columbus explicitly state that there is no late admittance.
Calculators and scratch paper
Minneapolis, Columbus, Fresno, Nashville and Lincoln explicitly prohibit calculators. That is strong evidence for those programs only. It is not permission to bring another electronic device to a program whose page is silent. Leave the calculator out unless your own program expressly authorizes it.
The official pages reviewed here do not give a universal scratch paper rule. Minneapolis, Columbus, Fresno and Lincoln say that everything necessary or all materials will be provided. Do not interpret that sentence as permission to bring your own paper. Use only the materials the proctor supplies and follow the instructions at your session. If your notice is silent, check your program before test day.
How results are reported
There is no single reporting method. Minneapolis says applicants can expect a score and rank number by email within four weeks. Columbus says applicants can expect a score within 60 days. Fresno posts a score and rank anonymously using the application number. Boston says test results are not provided because the test contributes a percentage to overall standing.
If the published window has passed, use the contact route named by your program and keep the message factual: identify the application cycle, test date and the status you are asking about. Do not compare your wait with another program’s timeline.
Retaking the GAN Aptitude Test
Retake rules depend on the apprenticeship program. Do not assume that a waiting period or retake policy published by one program applies to another.
Minneapolis Electrical JATC states that applicants may retake the test after one year on its Eligibility List. Boston JATC requires applicants to take the aptitude test in each application year. These are different local procedures, not a nationwide GAN retake policy.
Before planning a retake, check your program’s current instructions. Confirm whether you must submit a new application, when you can test again, and whether an existing score or eligibility status carries forward.
How to apply without missing a step
- Choose the exact program and trade classification. A training organization may operate more than one apprenticeship.
- Read age, education, algebra, license, document, fee and application window requirements before paying or opening a timed file.
- Gather transcripts, identification and work records in the format the program accepts.
- Complete the local application and any GAN Personal Experience Form within the stated window.
- Save confirmation messages and monitor the account or email address named by the program.
- Schedule the test only through the route in the official instructions.
- Recheck the appointment notice for identification, arrival, calculator, rescheduling and result rules.
Minneapolis uses a 30 day application window after its fee is paid and sends GAN PEF access information. Columbus and Fresno also publish application windows and GAN form steps. Those examples show why it is risky to wait until the final day. Your program’s current page controls.
Compare the IBEW aptitude test and GAN and union and non-union apprenticeships if you are still identifying the route that applies to you.
If your JATC uses the electrical training ALLIANCE test instead, use the aptitude and interview kit.
In Texas? The Texas Electrical Apprenticeship Entry Kit covers 13 Texas programs.
Not affiliated with GAN, the IEC, ABC, the IBEW, NECA or any apprenticeship program. Program names belong to their owners.
FAQ
Is there one national GAN test format?
No. Official electrical program pages show five and six section versions, and program procedures differ.
Can I bring a calculator or scratch paper?
Several programs prohibit calculators and say materials are provided. No universal scratch paper rule was found. Follow your program notice.
When will I receive my result?
It depends on the program. Minneapolis publishes four weeks, Columbus publishes 60 days, Fresno posts by application number, and Boston does not provide results.
Is electrical construction knowledge tested?
Several six section program pages explicitly say it is not part of their GAN battery.
Next step
Some apprenticeship programs provide free preparation materials. Boston JATC, for example, says applicants receive a free digital GAN study guide and information about free in-person preparation classes. Check your own program’s resources before purchasing additional practice materials. This independent practice pack is optional and contains original questions, not official GAN test questions.
Get the GAN practice pack (US$29)
Original GAN-style practice, not official GAN questions.
Sources checked October 2026
- GAN: https://ganhumanresources.com/gan-aptitude-test
- Phoenix: https://pejatc.org/how-to-apply/
- Minneapolis: https://mplsjatc.org/applicants/
- Minneapolis FAQ: https://mplsjatc.org/faq/
- Columbus: https://www.electricaltrades.org/application-process-2-25/
- Fresno: https://www.cceti.org/applicants/inside-wireman/how-to-apply/
- Nashville: https://www.nejatc.org/test-prep
- Boston application: https://bostonjatc.com/interested-in-applying/
- Boston current applicants: https://bostonjatc.com/current-applicants/
- Lincoln: https://lincolnelectricaljatc.org/apprenticeship/
- Kalamazoo: https://www.kalamazoojatc.com/apply/
- Denver: https://djeatc68.com/apply/applicant-faq/
- Local 26: https://www.jatc26.org/inside-wireman-a-apprentice/
