The American Line Builders Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program, ALBAT, was officially established on August 26, 1958, the result of a cooperative undertaking by the American Line Builders Chapter NECA and the IBEW, Fourth and Sixth Districts. Our Program covers eight states which are: Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan in the Sixth District of the IBEW, and Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Washington, DC., and Maryland of the Fourth District of the IBEW. Our administrative office and training facility is located in Medway, Ohio.

The ALBAT Area Joint Committee is comprised of eight representatives, four from the IBEW and four from NECA. This committee meets quarterly to review ongoing business and establish the various policies, rules and regulations of the Program. Subcommittees have been established in the eight states that meet quarterly to interview and select applicants for the Program and to also review and evaluate the progress of each apprentice in its respective Subcommittee area.

Due to the nature of Outside Electrical Construction work, workers are required to move about from place to place to follow the progress of the work. It is also necessary for apprentices to travel from area to area, not only to contribute toward the progress of the job, but also to obtain the diversity of work experience required to become a competent Journeyman Lineman.

The apprentices must also attend related training sessions on their own time, generally, one four-hour session each month, from September through June. Apprentices complete a course of study that includes 18 workbooks and 21 tests. ALBAT employs approximately 39 part-time instructors in 29 locations, teaching 42 classes. They hold lecture sessions, help the apprentice with the course material, collect the completed workbooks and administer the tests. All the workbooks and test results are then reported to our office. Upon satisfactory completion of 7000 hours of on-the-job training and the related course material, the apprentice lineman is then advanced to Journeyman Lineman status.

To support the educational and upgrade training of journeymen and appropriate persons in the area covered by the Area Training Agreement, ALBAT offers supplemental training. This training includes a wide variety of job related subject matter and safety issues. Supplementary and educational training is constantly being updated for the immediate and/or future needs of the individuals and contractors working under the different bargaining agreements.