What is VEEP?

The Veteran’s Electrical Entry Program (VEEP), created by the electrical training ALLIANCE, helps transitioning service members and recent veterans step directly into a high-demand electrical career. VEEP gives candidates a structured, no-cost pre-apprenticeship and a clear path into an IBEW/NECA training center—like our own West Texas Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (West Texas Electrical Training).

How VEEP Works

Participants choose where they want to live and work after service. The electrical training ALLIANCE coordinates with the local JATC that has jurisdiction in that area and, once accepted, grants the candidate direct entry after completing VEEP. The program is offered at no cost to participants and can be completed while on active duty under SkillBridge.

Eligible applicants include transitioning service members and recently separated veterans from all branches, including Coast Guard, National Guard^*, and Reserve^*, up to 5 years from separation to the date of application. Electrician tracks are available on active duty via SkillBridge.

^*Eligibility after satisfactory completion of Basic Training and MOS/AFSC rating training.

Application Process — Electrician

VEEP works with military installations and local JATCs (like West Texas Electrical Training) to line up your direct entry. You’ll complete VEEP, separate, and then report to the JATC for your apprenticeship. The goal is a seamless, supported hand-off from military service to a career in the electrical trades.

To apply: be within 5 years of your EAS/EAOS at the time of application and have (or certify you will have) a DD-214 with Honorable or General (Under Honorable) characterization of service. Electrician pathways may be started on active duty through SkillBridge.

Electrician

Electricians install, maintain, and troubleshoot power, lighting, and control systems across residential, commercial, and industrial environments. The work blends problem-solving and hands-on skills, with strong safety and code compliance at its core.

As technology evolves—renewables, EV infrastructure, smart buildings—electricians see steady demand, competitive pay, and clear advancement from apprentice to journeyman to foreman and beyond.

Training with West Texas Electrical Training

IBEW Local 602’s JATC is the West Texas Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee, known as West Texas Electrical Training (WTX-JATC). WTX-JATC runs the flagship 4-year Inside Wireman apprenticeship for our area: a total of 720 classroom hours (about 180 per year) and 8,000 paid on-the-job training hours. Apprentices earn a wage with family benefits while they learn.

WTX-JATC also offers several pre-apprenticeship programs and partnerships that help candidates build fundamentals, strengthen math/safety readiness, and transition smoothly into the registered apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship at a Glance

The WTX-JATC Inside Wireman program is designed to take you from beginner to journeyman in about four years. You’ll progress through related classroom training (totaling 720 hours) and accumulate 8,000 hours of paid OJT under licensed supervision—building real-world skills the entire time.

Graduates earn journeyman status with the skills, safety culture, and credentials needed for a long-term career. From there, many members pursue additional certifications, foreman roles, supervision, or specialized disciplines across the electrical industry.