OPENUNION JATCRELOCATION OK
Houston Electrical JATC
IBEW Local 716
Houston, TX · Inside Wireman Electrician
Year 1 wage
$18–$22/hr
Journeyman
$38–$48/hr
Verified May 18, 20265 yr · 8,000 OJT hrs · $25 fee
Apprenticeships
Texas.
Free to attend. Paid from day one. No debt. Real numbers from the Department of Labor.
26,363
active construction apprentices
30+
registered programs (DOL)
5
verified open now
DOL RAPIDS data as of FY26 Q1 (March 2026)
Active Apprentices by Trade
Texas · DOL RAPIDS FY26 Q1 · 26,363 total
Electrician
12,193 apprentices$17.00/hr avg start
Laborer
3,028 apprentices$19.65/hr avg start
Pipefitter/Steamfitter
2,339 apprentices$19.96/hr avg start
Plumber
2,327 apprentices$18.98/hr avg start
Ironworker
1,971 apprentices$18.45/hr avg start
Carpenter
1,058 apprentices$19.31/hr avg start
Other Construction
904 apprentices$20.18/hr avg start
Sheet Metal Worker
773 apprentices$17.30/hr avg start
+9 additional trades not shown
Electrician
$17.00/hr
avg starting wage
Laborer
$19.65/hr
avg starting wage
Pipefitter/Steamfitter
$19.96/hr
avg starting wage
Plumber
$18.98/hr
avg starting wage
What journeymen earn in Texas · BLS OEWS 2025 · median hourly
Electricians
$25.3/hr
~$53K/yr
Plumbers & Pipefitters
$26.25/hr
~$55K/yr
HVAC Techs
$25.33/hr
~$53K/yr
Line Installers
$37.24/hr
~$77K/yr
BLS OEWS median across 25 metro areas in Texas. Apprentices start at ~40–50% and graduate to full journeyman scale.
Verified Programs
Manually confirmed by PlumbSquare — application status current as of research date
OPENUNION JATCRELOCATION OK
North Texas JATC (Dallas-Fort Worth)
IBEW Local 20
Grand Prairie, TX · Inside Wireman Electrician
Year 1 wage
$20–$23/hr
Journeyman
$40–$50/hr
Verified May 18, 20265 yr · 8,000 OJT hrs · No app fee
OPENUNION JATCRELOCATION OK
Austin ETA (Austin, TX)
IBEW Local 2170
Austin, TX · Inside Wireman Electrician
Year 1 wage
$21–$22/hr
Journeyman
$38–$48/hr
Verified May 18, 20264 yr · 8,000 OJT hrs · $35 fee
OPENUNION JATCRELOCATION OK
UA Local 286 (Austin, TX)
UA Local 286
Austin, TX · Plumber / Pipefitter
Year 1 wage
$20–$21/hr
Journeyman
$36–$46/hr
Verified May 18, 20265 yr · 10,000 OJT hrs · No app fee
OPENUNION JATCRELOCATION OK
UA Local 68 (Houston, TX)
UA Local 68
Houston, TX · Plumber
Year 1 wage
$17–$21/hr
Journeyman
$34–$44/hr
Verified May 18, 20265 yr · 8,500 OJT hrs
5 manually verified. Texas has additional DOL-registered programs below and at Apprenticeship.gov →
DOL-Registered Programs
All active registered apprenticeship programs in Texas with 10+ active apprentices · Source: DOL RAPIDS FY26 Q1 · 30 shown
| Program / Sponsor | City | Trade(s) | Active | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
IEC DALLAS | IRVING | Electrician | 1,605 | non-union |
Windham School District | Huntsville | CarpenterPlumberElectrician+2 | 1,520 | non-union |
IEC TEXAS GULF COAST CHAPTER | HOUSTON | Electrician | 1,349 | non-union |
Linetec Services, LLC | Houston | Electrician | 1,157 | non-union |
CenTex IEC | AUSTIN | Electrician | 1,026 | non-union |
RenewableWorks | San Antonio | Laborer | 830 | non-union |
San Antonio Iron Worker JATC | SAN ANTONIO | Ironworker | 783 | UNION |
SW LINE CONSTRUCTORS JATC Union/Labor | Bosque Farms | Electrician | 781 | UNION |
North Texas Electrical JATC | GRAND PRAIRIE | Electrician | 771 | UNION |
HOUSTON AREA PLUMBING JAC | HOUSTON | Plumber | 750 | UNION |
Adaptive Construction Solutions Community Based Organization | Houston | ElectricianIronworkerCarpenter+4 | 743 | non-union |
HOUSTON PIPEFITTERS JATC | Deer Park | Pipefitter/Steamfitter | 730 | UNION |
Dallas and West Texas Ironworkers Local 263 JATC Union/Labor | Arlington | Ironworker | 708 | UNION |
SOUTH TEXAS ELECTRICAL JATC | SAN ANTONIO | Electrician | 663 | UNION |
HOUSTON CARPENTERS & MILLWRIGHTS JATC Union/Labor | Pasadena | CarpenterBricklayer/Mason | 623 | UNION |
Houston Electrical JATC | HOUSTON | Electrician | 611 | UNION |
AUSTIN ELECTRICAL JATC | AUSTIN | Electrician | 608 | UNION |
IEC Fort Worth | FORT WORTH | Electrician | 582 | non-union |
AUSTIN AREA PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS JATC | AUSTIN | Pipefitter/SteamfitterPlumber | 581 | UNION |
Blattner Company | Houston | ElectricianOperating EngineerLaborer | 565 | non-union |
SAN ANTONIO CHAPTER IEC Business Association | SAN ANTONIO | Electrician | 560 | non-union |
Primoris T & D Services | MCKINNEY | Electrician | 549 | non-union |
Apprentix | McAllen | LaborerElectricianOperating Engineer+1 | 490 | non-union |
Mortenson | San Antonio | ElectricianCarpenterOperating Engineer+1 | 487 | non-union |
UNITED ASSOC. DALLAS #100 PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS | Mesquite | PlumberPipefitter/SteamfitterHVAC Technician | 480 | UNION |
NORTHEAST TRAINING CENTER -MJ TRAINING Community Based Organization | Houston | LaborerBoilermakerElectrician+1 | 465 | UNION |
Construction and Maintenance Education Foundation | La Porte | ElectricianLaborerCarpenter+4 | 447 | non-union |
ProScore Technologies | Austin | IronworkerElectricianLaborer | 377 | non-union |
SA AREA PLUMBERS & PIPE FITTERS JATC | SAN ANTONIO | Pipefitter/SteamfitterPlumber | 370 | UNION |
Interplay Learning - Texas Other | Austin | PlumberHVAC TechnicianLaborer+1 | 336 | non-union |
Programs with fewer than 10 active apprentices are not shown. Total DOL-registered programs in Texas may be higher. For the complete list, visit Apprenticeship.gov.
Common Questions
How do I become a trade apprentice in Texas?
Apply to a JATC or non-union program. Requirements: high school diploma or GED, basic math test, proof of age (18+). Some programs add physical requirements or drug testing. Application windows open and close seasonally — check program status before applying.
Are apprenticeships in Texas free?
Yes. Every DOL-registered apprenticeship is free to attend. Apprentices are employees, not students — you earn a wage from day one. No tuition, no student loans.
Union vs. non-union — which should I choose?
Union JATCs (IBEW, UA, SMART, UBC) typically offer higher wages, defined pension plans, and health insurance. Non-union programs (ABC, IEC) may have faster acceptance and work with open-shop contractors. Both paths are DOL-registered. Apply to both — take whoever accepts you first.
How long is a trade apprenticeship?
Most trades are 4–5 years (8,000–10,000 OJT hours). HVAC programs run 3–4 years. Lineman training is typically 3–4 years with specialized fieldwork. Every year your wage increases — you're earning near journeyman scale by your final year.
Texas Licensing
Texas splits trades across two boards: TDLR handles electricians and HVACR; TSBPE handles plumbing separately. No state-level general contractor license — that's handled by individual cities.