Most apprentice slots come down to a written test before they come down to an interview. This guide breaks the three lineman aptitude test paths you will face: NEAT for the IBEW outside apprenticeship in New England, CAST for investor-owned utility direct hires, and the broader EEI battery, with section counts, time limits, pass scores, and a prep plan that works.
If you are chasing a journeyman ticket or a utility hire as a groundman or apprentice, the lineman aptitude test you sit lands in one of three buckets. Inside JATCs and outside locals run the Electrical Training Alliance aptitude test (formerly the NJATC test); the New England outside local brands its application as NEAT. Investor-owned utilities including Duke, Dominion, Entergy, PSEG, AEP, ComEd, Exelon, and Southern Company run CAST. Plant operator and meter tech roles use POSS, MASS, or TECH from the same EEI battery.
| Test | Owner | Sections | Total Test Time | Pass Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Training Alliance (NEAT / IBEW outside) | etA, IBEW-NECA | 2 (Algebra, Reading) | 97 min testing, ~2.5 hr session | 3/9 outside, 4/9 inside |
| CAST | EEI | 4 (Graphic Arith, Math Usage, Mechanical, Reading) | ~90 min testing, ~2 hr session | 1 to 10 index, employer sets cut |
| POSS | EEI | 4 (Math, Mechanical, Reading, Figural) | ~2.5 hr | Employer sets cut |
| MASS | EEI | 4 (Mechanical, Math, Reading, Assembly) | ~2.5 hr | Employer sets cut |
| TECH | EEI | 4 sections, 91 questions | ~2 hr | Employer sets cut |
CAST stands for Construction and Skilled Trades Selection System. It is the EEI test for distribution and transmission lineworker, substation electrician, and T&D operator postings at investor-owned utilities. About 110 multiple-choice questions across four sections, paper and pencil, no calculator under standard EEI rules. Plan on roughly two hours including check-in and instructions.
Section scores combine into one index from 1 to 10. The index predicts probability of job success, not pass or fail. Each utility sets its own minimum, usually a 4 to 6 depending on the role and applicant pool. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so guess on every blank before time is called. A 7 or higher puts you near the top of any list.
NEAT is the Northeastern Apprenticeship and Training program out of IBEW Local 104, covering the New England outside lineman territory. The written you sit for NEAT is the Electrical Training Alliance aptitude test, the same test the inside apprenticeship uses, scored on the same 1 to 9 stanine. Outside lineman applicants only need a 3 out of 9 to qualify for the oral interview. Inside wireman applicants need a 4. That gap is the only difference between the two tracks at the test stage.
The NJATC test runs two sections:
Total seat time runs about 2.5 hours with a short break.
You apply through neat1968.org. Minimum requirements: 18 years old, a Class B CDL permit with the air brake restriction removed, and a $25 application fee. The sequence is application, written, oral interview, ranked list. The list does not move on a calendar; it moves on call volume. If two years pass without a call, you reapply, retest, and reinterview from scratch. Plenty of applicants sign the books as groundmen and work locally while the list moves.
Cross-trade applicants from a power plant, substation, or system operator background often get routed to a different EEI test:
CAST is the test 99 percent of utility lineman, groundman, and substation candidates will see. Check the careers page; SCE, FirstEnergy, Georgia Power, and others list the specific EEI test number for each posting.
Most candidates wing the lineman aptitude test and score below average. Treat it like a tested skill, not a hazing.
Each test has its own waiting period:
Read the retake rules before you sit. A bad first attempt can cost you six months and a hiring class.
The math is mid-level high school algebra and basic mechanical reasoning. The difficulty is the clock. CAST Math Usage gives you under 24 seconds a question. NEAT Algebra gives you about 84 seconds. If your arithmetic is rusty, the timer turns easy questions into misses.
Each utility sets its own threshold on the 1 to 10 index. Most lineworker postings put the cut between 4 and 6. Aim for a 7 or higher to clear any threshold and rank near the top of the candidate pool.
No. CAST and the Electrical Training Alliance aptitude test are both no-calculator under standard rules. Pencil and scratch paper are provided. Some POSS and MASS sittings allow a basic calculator; confirm with the proctor at check-in.
Yes. The Electrical Training Alliance test has a six-month wait at most JATCs. EEI tests including CAST require 30 days between attempts and limit you to two attempts in any 12-month window at the same utility.
On Mechanical Concepts and the prints in Graphic Arithmetic, yes. On Math Usage and Algebra, only if you kept your math sharp. A 15-year journeyman who has not run conversions in a decade will miss easy points on the speed sections without practice.
No. NEAT is specific to IBEW Local 104 in New England. Other outside locals run the same Electrical Training Alliance aptitude test under different application names. Non-union investor-owned utilities run CAST instead.
Once your test is behind you and your score is on file, search current journeyman, apprentice, and groundman openings on PowerLinemanJobs.com. Filter by state, voltage class, and storm pay to match calls to your ticket and your travel range.