20 Electrical Apprenticeship Interview Questions for Hiring New Recruits

If you’re looking to hire new electrician apprentices to grow your electrical business, you’re definitely not alone. In fact, business owners across the trades are competing for a finite pool of skilled workers, from plumbers and HVAC technicians to garage door installers and pest control applicators.

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Working in the electrical industry offers ample job prospects for new apprentices, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts more than 60,000 new electrician job openings by 2029, an 8% increase. In addition to hiring skilled electrical apprentices, business owners need to fill positions for journeyman electricians, master electricians, and other specialty electrical workers.

Rather than racking up shocking amounts of college debt, entry-level electricians can earn salaries beginning at around $48,000, and salaries quickly grow higher with on-the-job experience and seniority. Even more important, most programs pay apprentices while they train, and applicants only need a high school diploma to qualify. 

At ServiceTitan, we want to help business owners hire the right electrician apprentices now to grow their business in 2024 and beyond. Use these common interview questions and answers as you vet prospective electricians.

Electrician apprentice job interview questions typically cover four categories:

1. General Questions

2. Behavioral/Situational Questions 

3. Technical Skills Questions

4. Technology Questions

General Electrician Apprenticeship Interview Questions

• Why do you want to start a career as an electrician?

• What do you know about our electrical company?

• Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

• Tell me about any previous work experience, including working with electricity.

• Why did you leave your previous job?

• Do you have a valid driver's license and a clean driving record?

• Why is it important to become an apprentice before getting an electrical license?

• What qualities make you a great electrical apprentice?

Common electrician apprentice interview questions generally cover the everyday skills needed for any job, including career goals, attendance and punctuality, communication, and work ethic.

Also, remember your new apprentice will eventually represent your business in the field. So, use this opportunity to assess an applicant's attitude or personality to determine whether they're a good fit for your company culture.

Ask these general interview questions to assess a candidate's soft skills and career goals:

1. Why do you want to start a career as an electrician?

In most states, apprentice electricians must complete several years of on-the-job training to become eligible to apply for an electrician license. By starting an electrician apprenticeship program, the candidate is committing to working for your business. As a business owner, it’s important to ask the candidate about their long-term career goals to ensure they possess the drive and dedication to complete the necessary training. In a sense, this is more than a job interview; it's a career interview.

Make sure to ask open-ended questions (avoid “yes” or “no” questions) to see how the candidate responds and communicates when put on the spot — a skill that will surely come in handy at the job site. Additionally, look for a candidate who maintains good eye contact, offers a firm handshake, and displays confident body language. These signs strongly indicate their communication skills and show how the apprentice will engage with customers.

2. What do you know about our electrical company?

Ask how the candidate learned about your business and why they chose your company for an apprenticeship. Did they do their homework and research your company before reaching out? 

Hiring managers consider applicants more seriously when they demonstrate a concerted effort to learn more by scouring your company website, visiting social media sites, and talking to your current or previous employees. It’s also a good indicator of the candidate’s interest in working for your business for the long haul. Conversely, consider it a red flag if the candidate lacks knowledge about your specific electrical business.

3. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

This question offers a glimpse into the apprentice’s long-term career goals. When you hire a new apprentice, you’re making a significant business investment, so you want to ensure the candidate feels committed to the career plan. Be wary of any candidate who mentions working in a different industry or doesn’t express interest in pursuing a life-long career in the electrical field.

4. Tell me about any previous work experience, including working with electricity.

Apprentice electricians may possess little to no electrical experience, and that’s okay. Of course, consider it a plus if the candidate has applicable experience, such as working in the electrical department at a local hardware store. 

Ask about previous work experience, regardless of the field or industry, to uncover overlapping skills to help the candidate stand out. While applicants usually include this information on their resume and cover letter, you can often find additional skills, such as specialty certifications or a knack for customer service.

5. Why did you leave your previous job?

Job applicants recently fired or frequently bouncing from job to job should raise a red flag. If applicable, allow the electrician apprentice to articulate their reasons for leaving a job to determine whether the same issues could affect your company. You don’t want to begin a long-term partnership with a candidate with a history of disciplinary actions or flakiness.

6. Do you have a valid driver's license and a clean driving record?

Your apprentices not only need to drive to your shop or technical school, but they’ll eventually drive to customers’ homes in your company truck while they perform on-the-job training. So, a valid driver’s license is paramount. Note: most electrician apprentice programs and licensing agencies require electrician apprentices to hold a valid driver's license and a clean driving record.

7. Why is it important to become an apprentice before getting an electrical license?

The applicant’s answer should demonstrate an understanding of the importance of mentorship and continuous learning in growing in the electrical industry. 

You want to ensure the applicant knows it takes time and dedication to thrive and grow as an electrical apprentice. You can also encourage the prospective employee to share what they hope to gain during the apprenticeship.

8. What qualities make you a great electrical apprentice?

Ask this question to learn if candidates have the qualities required to be a great electrical apprentice. 

The right candidate will provide technical and soft skills aligned with what’s captured in your job description. Their response should also show they’ve researched and fully understood what the job involves.

Behavioral/Situational Electrical Apprenticeship Interview Questions

• Can you give an example of when you turned an unhappy customer into a satisfied customer? 

• A customer expresses anger or frustration over a job. How do you respond?

• How would you handle resolving an argument with a coworker?

• What would you do if another team member was not following the safety guidelines?

• Are there references you could email to us?

• What safety issues have you encountered, and how do you prevent them?

• If hired, would you consider sacrificing safety protocols to finish a project in record time?

Behavioral or situational electrician interview questions give apprentice applicants the opportunity for show-and-tell, with more emphasis placed on the "show" part of the equation. Interviewers must assess an applicant's ability to problem-solve, overcome interpersonal struggles, and communicate effectively on the job.

1. Can you give an example of when you turned an unhappy customer into a satisfied customer? 

Electricians who practice top-notch customer service and support are important in fostering customer satisfaction. Satisfied clients turn into repeat business via follow-up calls or direct referrals. Electricians who listen to customers, show empathy, clearly explain the job, and educate them on all available solutions provide better customer service.

Evaluate candidates based on their ability to exceed customer expectations. Ask if they’re willing to use tools, like ServiceTitan’s Customer Experience platform, that help electrical companies deliver excellent service and keep customers informed across stages of the job cycle.

The platform has an integrated SMS feature that employees can use to deliver updates to customers, remind them of appointments, and resolve complaints.

It also has a customer notification feature for sending post-job surveys, brief descriptions of technicians, and a tracking URL. With the URL, customers can monitor techs' locations in real time.

Knowing the real-time location of technicians encourages early arrivals and helps customers plan their schedule to ensure they’re around when the technician arrives.

2. A customer expresses anger or frustration over a job. How do you respond?

How an apprentice responds reveals a lot about their personality, attitude, customer service style, conflict-resolution skills, and ability to work under pressure. The ideal candidate should take the time to clearly communicate how they would address the customer’s concern, even if only in a hypothetical situation. Remember, a negative customer service experience will cost money and cause lost business, and the customer will gladly hire one of your competitors.

3. How would you handle resolving an argument with a coworker?

Again, this question reveals how the apprentice candidate resolves problems with teammates and coworkers. To truly run a successful electrical contracting company, you need your apprentices, office staff, and veteran electricians to work harmoniously. Petty arguments or employees who seek out conflict with others can wreck your company culture, making it harder to hire new candidates in a field already competing for top talent.

4. What would you do if another team member was not following the safety guidelines?

According to labor and safety laws, business owners are liable for insurance, health, and compensation benefits from work-related injuries. Therefore, you want everyone to follow safety guidelines.

However, since that’s not always the case, employees need to take responsibility for their safety and that of others on the job site. This question will reveal their ability to do just that.

Listen to how they plan to convince colleagues to obey safety laws or report them to supervisors or project managers when they refuse to do so. Their response should also show they understand the importance of safety laws.

5. Are there references you could email to us?

Who better to tell you about a potential candidate than someone close to them?

You can also judge their attention to detail, proficiency in the English language, and interest in the position by how they send the email. Candidates interested in the position will take the time to weed out errors and respond promptly.

6. What safety issues have you encountered, and how do you prevent them?

Working with something as dangerous as electricity is not without its dangers. Arc flashes, burns, electrocutions, electrical shocks, to name a few. That’s why all electricians are always mandated to obey safety protocols enacted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Test the apprentices’ knowledge of safety protocols. Ask how they would handle fictional examples of electrical safety violations, and how they would encourage others to do the same. 

7. If hired, would you consider sacrificing safety protocols to finish a project in record time?

This question is useful for identifying applicants who see safety protocols as optional, rather than the non-negotiable requirement that it is.

Encourage applicants to respond honestly. Then, pay close attention to behavioral cues to confirm if they’re telling the truth. You wouldn’t want to hire someone who’s lacking integrity.