Apprenticeship Program

Enroll
Here!

Enroll Here! Send a completed ULPA Apprenticeship Form to aadmin@ULPA.org to start your enrollment process!”

Employers
Apply!

For Company Sign up, please complete the Employer Form and send it to aadmin@ULPA.org

ULPA Apprenticeship Program Employer Requirements:

 The ULPA Apprenticeship Program is a DOL-registered five-year pathway designed to train and qualify lightning-protection installers in compliance with NFPA 780, UL 96A, LPI 175, and related OSHA safety standards. 

Program Requirements- 

To be eligible for the ULPA Apprenticeship Program, the sponsoring company must qualify and provide the following:  

  • Provide each apprentice with a minimum of 1,000 verified lightning-protection-specific on-the-job training (OJT) hours per year, totaling approximately 5,000 lightning-protection hours over the five-year program. General construction, roofing, or electrical hours do NOT qualify toward this requirement.
  • Maintain a strict 2:1 ratio of lightning-protection apprentices to journeyman lightning-protection installers on active jobsites. Ratios using journeymen from other trades do not meet program requirements.  Lightning Protection Institute Certified Master Installers & Master Installer/ Designers qualify as journeyman for the purpose of establishing this ratio.   
  • Verify and submit OJT logs, as required, for each portion of the apprenticeship program.  
  • All employers, with active apprentices in the program, must provide proof that they have contracted with a nationally recognized testing agency for inspections for a minimum of 10 projects in the past 2 years. These certifications must be submitted annually with your registration to the ULPA apprenticeship office. This is intended as a method to ensure that employers participating in the ULPA apprenticeship program can provide the required on-the-job training for their apprentices in the lightning protection trade.  
  • All employers will submit a list of their journeyman installers annually, along with the annual registration payment for compliance with apprenticeship program ratios.  

 If an employer with apprentices enrolled in the program does not submit this information, they will be prohibited from enrolling apprentices into this program.  

The rate for ULPA members in good standing is $500/annually. Apprentice rates will be $200/course per Apprentice. 

Non–ULPA affiliated member companies will be charged a separate rate for employer enrollment.  The rate for Non-ULPA members is $1,500/annually. The rate for Non-ULPA member Apprentices will be $600/course per Apprentice.

Frequently Asked Questions

To begin, download and complete both the ULPA Apprenticeship Enrollment Form and the Company Enrollment Form. Once completed, submit both forms to aadmin@ulpa.org.

After submission, our team will guide you through the next steps to get your company and apprentices fully set up in the program.

This is a self-paced apprenticeship program. Apprentices progress year-to-year by completing all required coursework and a minimum of 1,000 on-the-job training hours per year. Because the program is self-paced, motivated apprentices may complete the full program in as little as 2.5 years, depending on work availability and individual progress.

The 2:1 ratio is a U.S. Department of Labor requirement and applies within each individual company—not across the industry as a whole.

For every two registered apprentices, your company must have at least one qualified Lightning Protection Journeyman Installer, Master Installer, or Master Installer/Designer supervising them. The journeyman may be credentialed through LPI or UL, as long as they meet recognized Lightning Protection Journeyman qualifications.

If your company cannot meet these requirements, please contact acomm@ULPA.org for review and guidance. Reviews will be discussed by the Apprenticeship Committee on a case-by-case basis.

Each company may designate up to two managers with direct access to Canvas. If additional manager access is needed, please contact acomm@ULPA.org. Requests will be reviewed by the Apprenticeship Committee on a case-by-case basis.

The Apprenticeship program is designed for your current employees. Once they have completed their 90-day probationary period with your company, they are eligible to enroll.

This is entirely up to your company’s preference. It is not required, and enrolling does not impact or remove an existing Journeyman certification.

Some companies choose to enroll experienced technicians to strengthen overall trade knowledge and to better understand what newer apprentices are being taught. This can position them as strong mentors and technical resources in the field.

Previous experience can count. Apprentices may apply cumulative lightning protection hours prior to enrollment toward the 1,000-hour yearly requirement.

This applies across all years—advancement is based on meeting cumulative hours and coursework requirements.

If there are any questions about qualifying or documenting prior experience, please contact the Apprenticeship Committee for guidance.

The program is delivered through Canvas, which is fully mobile-friendly. Apprentices and managers can access coursework through the Canvas mobile app or a web browser. Some quizzes require reference materials to be viewed during completion. For those cases, we recommend coordinating with your apprentice to determine whether accessing the documents digitally or printing them in advance would be most helpful.

Yes. Managers have several streamlined options for reviewing and approving documentation. Certificates of Completion can be downloaded individually as each requirement is finished, or you can download the full year’s certificates in a single PDF from the Company Resource Library. A “Fill & Print” version is also available, which includes the hourly tracking spreadsheet along with all Certificates of Completion in one organized file for easy approval and recordkeeping.

Yes. Apprentices may transfer and continue the program where they left off. We strongly recommend that apprentices register using a personal email address rather than a company email. This ensures their progress, records, and completed coursework remain accessible if they change employers.

Managers do not have the ability to delete or move a submitted certification. However, the apprentice can resubmit the correct document at any time.

There is no limit to the number of resubmissions. If something is uploaded incorrectly, simply have the apprentice upload the corrected version, and the most accurate submission can be used for recordkeeping and approval.

Absolutely. The Company Resource Library includes practical guidance, training tips, and support tools designed specifically for managers.

In addition, managers have full visibility into the lessons and quizzes their apprentices are completing. We strongly recommend reviewing each module so you understand what is being taught. When you know the content, you can reinforce it in the field—connecting jobsite decisions, installations, and real-world scenarios directly to the material they’re learning. That alignment between classroom and field is where real growth happens.

Have other questions or comments about the Apprenticeship program?
Email: acomm@ULPA.org

Need enrollment or completion information?
Email: aadmin@ULPA.org

Founding Donors

             Their belief in bettering the education and training of lightning protection professionals laid the groundwork for something truly impactful. This program isn’t just about meeting a standard—it’s about raising it. Because of their commitment, we’re equipping the next generation with the skills, confidence, and knowledge to lead this industry forward.

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