Rhode Island Electrician School

Rhode Island requires 576 hours of related technical instruction (RTI) to qualify for the journeyman electrician exam — and that classroom time must come from a state-approved provider. Picking the wrong program means your hours might not count when it matters.

How RTI Fits the Licensing Path

The DLT requires electrician apprentices to complete 144 hours of approved classroom instruction per year across a four-year apprenticeship, totaling 576 hours. These RTI hours run alongside your 8,000 on-the-job training hours. Both milestones must be completed before you can sit for the Certificate B (journeyman) exam.

RTI programs must be approved by the DLT and the State Apprenticeship Council. Unapproved trade school hours will not count toward your licensing requirement, regardless of content.

Major Training Programs

Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI)

CCRI offers electrical technology courses through its Knight Campus in Warwick. The program provides RTI credit recognized by the DLT. CCRI is the most accessible option for non-union apprentices who need approved classroom hours alongside their on-the-job training. Costs are significantly lower than private trade schools — community college tuition rates apply.

Roger Williams University (RWU) — Electrical Apprenticeship Program

RWU runs a four-year, NCCER-accredited electrical apprenticeship classroom program through its School of Continuing Studies. Tuition runs approximately $2,000 per year. The program focuses on theoretical instruction aligned with national curriculum standards. RWU is a strong academic option, though it does not place students with employers — you need to secure your own apprenticeship sponsor independently.

IBEW Local 99 Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC)

The union path. IBEW Local 99's JATC operates a comprehensive five-year apprenticeship program that bundles both classroom instruction and job placement through signatory contractors. Application fee is $25, with training costs covered through union dues.

The JATC program is selective — applicants go through an interview and aptitude evaluation process. If accepted, you get both the RTI hours and placement with a signatory employer, which simplifies the sponsor requirement.

Non-Union Contractor Apprenticeships (ABC and Independent)

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and independent electrical contractors also sponsor apprenticeship programs that include RTI components. Non-union apprentices typically attend CCRI or another approved provider for their classroom hours while getting OJT through their employer.

Union vs. Non-Union: What Matters for Licensing

From a licensing perspective, the DLT treats union and non-union apprenticeship hours identically. Both require 8,000 OJT hours and 576 RTI hours. Both lead to the same Certificate B exam. The difference is structural: union programs bundle placement, training, and benefits into one package, while non-union apprentices coordinate their classroom provider and sponsor employer separately.

The credential at the end — Certificate B — is the same regardless of which path you took.

The Rhode Island Electrician License Guide maps all four training paths against the DLT's hour-tracking requirements, so you know exactly what documentation to collect from your program to avoid gaps at exam time.

See more Rhode Island guides →