Do you have to go to school to become an elevator mechanic?

Not a tuition school first. Elevator mechanics are trained while working in the trade. In the union route, NEIEP’s apprenticeship combines paid work with eight semesters of 72 hours of instruction, followed by the Mechanic’s Exam. Non-union contractors use NAEC’s Certified Elevator Technician (CET) program.

How long does elevator mechanic training take?

The IUEC apprenticeship runs 4 years: six months of online coursework, then eight semesters with a NEIEP instructor, after which apprentices can sit the Mechanic’s Exam. NAEC’s CET educational program is also a four-year program.

Do you get paid during elevator mechanic training?

Yes. NEIEP says IUEC apprentices "earn while you learn": pay starts at 50% of the local mechanic rate and steps up to 80% under the national IUEC/NEBA agreement, plus fringe benefits.

Training

Elevator mechanic school: how elevator mechanics are actually trained

✓ Written by a federally recognized pre-apprenticeship instructor✓ Updated October 2026✓ Verified against NEIEP’s official study guide

There isn’t a tuition school you finish first and then go look for work. Elevator mechanics are trained on the job, in a paid apprenticeship. The two main routes are the union apprenticeship (IUEC, run by NEIEP) and the non-union Certified Elevator Technician program from the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC).

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Route 1: the union apprenticeship (IUEC / NEIEP)

NEIEP is the training program of the International Union of Elevator Constructors. Its apprentices are hired by elevator companies and train while they work. Per NEIEP’s FAQ:

The first six months are an online curriculum on safety and the history of the IUEC.
Then eight semesters, each 72 hours of training with a NEIEP instructor.
After all eight semesters, apprentices can take the Mechanic’s Exam; those who pass become “full-fledged IUEC Mechanics.”
“You will earn while you learn.” Apprentice pay is 50%, 55%, 65%, 70%, 80% of the local mechanic rate over the 4-year program, plus fringe benefits (apprentice pay).

Getting in is the hard part. NEIEP recruits for 82 areas covering 65 locals, each roughly every two years. You apply online during your area’s window, pass the EIAT entrance test (70%, pass/fail), and interview with the JAC; your interview score sets your rank on the hiring list. NEIEP requires you to be 17 to apply and 18 to be registered, with a high school diploma or GED at the time of hire.

No school gets you ahead in the union line. Rank on the hiring list comes from the interview, not from a certificate you paid for. What helps is passing the EIAT comfortably and walking into the interview prepared — the full path.

Route 2: NAEC’s Certified Elevator Technician (CET)

Many non-union elevator contractors use the program run by the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC). The US Department of Labor’s O*NET listing calls the CET “a formal educational certification program specifically designed for the Elevator and Escalator Industry,” with a 160-question computer-based multiple-choice exam and yearly renewal through continuing education. Elevator World describes the CET educational program as four years of coursework (12 courses) paired with on-the-job skills portfolios, so it is also done while working in the trade. Ask a non-union contractor near you whether they sponsor it.

Which route to aim for

Union (IUEC): national pay ladder, national training, and a set recruitment calendar — but you can only apply when your area’s window is open. Check your area’s window.
Non-union (CET): generally you get in by being hired by a contractor that sponsors the program, on that company’s timeline.

Union pay by local is on IUEC pay scales, and what the union is on the elevator union (IUEC).

Keep going

Related Resources

Free EIAT practice test

The union route starts here: real format, scored against 70%.

The JAC interview

The step that sets your rank on the hiring list.

Elevator mechanic salary

What the trade pays once you’re trained.

EIAT Prep for iPhone

The first step is the EIAT

Getting into the union apprenticeship starts with the EIAT and an interview that ranks you. The EIAT Prep app has 10 full-length practice tests in the real format and an AI mock interview that plays the JAC panel and scores you.

What’s in the app

Facts on this page trace to primary sources (NEIEP’s official study guide, BLS data) — see sources & methodology. Independent — not affiliated with or endorsed by the IUEC, NEIEP, or any union or testing organization.