Programs & Courses
Pre-employment Electrician

Get a head start on your apprenticeship training
This program is designed to help you become more marketable when seeking employment in the electrical trade. You will gain the entry-level skills needed to give you a better chance of getting hired and becoming indentured as an apprentice. If you are looking for a career as an electrician but have not been able to secure employment and begin the apprenticeship process, this program is an ideal choice.
About This Program
Medicine Hat College has received grant funding to offer the Pre-Employment Electrical program for free to under-represented individuals in the trades for fall 2022. This includes newcomers (permanent resident/landed immigrant or refugee status within last 5 years), Indigenous peoples, women or people who identify as gender diverse, and youth ages 18-30. If this describes you, then you may qualify for the program.
Applications are due by August 22 and can be emailed to eferris@mhc.ab.ca.
Download the application form here.
Program Overview
The Pre-Employment Electrician program covers the same material as our traditional apprenticeship program, but students do not have to be employed/indentured to be accepted to this training. Students who successfully complete and pass the program will have skills equivalent to a first year trades apprentice and will be eligible to write the Alberta Apprenticeship & Industry Training First Period Theory Exam for the electrical trade.
In addition to the course content offered in the first year electrical apprenticeship program, our pre-employment program includes many additional hours of hands-on practice and safety training. Although you may start the program with very little or no experience in the electrical trade, you are given multiple opportunities to gain experience and a competitive edge in the workforce.
Upon successful completion of the pre-employment program, you will receive a Medicine Hat College Certificate of Completion, improving your job prospects significantly. You will be eligible to challenge the Alberta Apprenticeship & Industry Training First Year Period Apprenticeship Exam (Theory). You will also have the skills and knowledge that employers are looking for and have a greater chance of being indentured as an apprentice. Our staff and instructors have many contacts in the trades and during the program, industry representatives and potential employers will be encouraged to meet with and get to know our students.
For more information about Apprenticeship or the First Period Theory Exam, please contact Alberta Innovation and Advanced Education, Apprenticeship and Industry Training directly at 403.525.3100, or visit www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca.
Admission Requirements
The recommended prerequisites are:
- English 20-2
- Math 20-3
- Science 10
(or equivalents) - or a passing grade on all five GED tests
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees for the program total $4,995. There is a $100 non-refundable deposit (which is applied toward tuition fees if you attend).
Additional Fees: Approximately $500 for books and materials. First Year Period Challenge exam fee is $150 (Theory) payable to Apprenticeship Industry and Training.
Material | Where to Purchase | Price (subject to change) |
Modules |
College Bookstore |
$150.00 |
Code Text |
College Bookstore |
$210.00 |
Calculator |
College Bookstore |
$21.99 |
Metric Ruler |
College Bookstore |
$0.65 to $3.99 |
Safety Glasses |
College Bookstore |
$4.99 to $10.99 |
Safety Boots |
Off Campus |
Variable |
Program Contact
For more information about upcoming dates, contact Erin Ferris:
Erin Ferris
Continuing Studies
403.502.8975
eferris@mhc.ab.ca
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