How to Hire Your First Apprentice: An Indiana Guide for Small Trade Shops

I'm Tom, an Indianapolis-area founder. I started KeptRing, and we sell AI answering for contractors, so I have a stake in your shop getting busier. Last time I covered when to make your next hire and how to run the math. This one is about who you hire, and how to do it right in Indiana.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change. Check with the agencies linked below, and talk to your accountant before you count on any grant or credit.

Why an apprentice instead of another experienced tech

Experienced techs are hard to find, and everybody wants the same ones. An apprentice is different. You hire drive and no bad habits, and you teach your way. It's slower, and it costs you hours. But you end up with a tech who knows your customers and your standards, and you didn't have to poach them.

What a registered apprenticeship actually is

A helper who carries pipe isn't an apprentice. A Registered Apprenticeship is approved by the U.S. Department of Labor or a state apprenticeship agency. Federal rules (29 CFR 29.5) say it has to include:

• A real job. The apprentice is your employee.
• On-the-job learning. At least 2,000 hours if the program is time-based. Some programs measure skills instead of hours, or use a mix.
• Classroom instruction. The rule recommends at least 144 hours a year.
• A wage schedule that goes up as they learn. The starting wage can't be below the federal minimum wage where it applies.
• A ratio of apprentices to journeyworkers, written out clearly.
• A probation period of no more than 25% of the program or one year, whichever is shorter.
• A written apprenticeship agreement for each apprentice, and a minimum starting age of at least 16.

Finishers get a nationally recognized credential. The Department of Labor's technical help is free.

Two ways in: join a program or build your own

Indiana's apprenticeship site says step one is deciding with an apprenticeship representative whether to join an existing program or build a custom one.

With one or two trucks, I'd join. An association or school runs the classroom. You provide the job and the field training. Building your own means writing a "Standard of Apprenticeship" (curriculum, training plan, wage scale, supervision) with an intermediary's help, then getting Department of Labor approval. That fits bigger shops, or places where nothing nearby fits.

Who runs apprenticeship in Indiana

Indiana-specific: Indiana doesn't have its own state apprenticeship agency. The Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers programs here directly.

The state still helps. The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) created its Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship in 2018. It supports Registered Apprenticeships and a shorter state option called State Earn and Learn (SEAL), and runs a network of intermediaries you can find through the Apprenticeship Indiana site. DWD notes a Registered Apprenticeship needs a 1:1 mentor.

The rules by trade in Indiana

This is where Indiana gets specific. Plumbing is licensed by the state. Electrical and HVAC aren't.

Plumbing: state rules apply

Indiana-specific: The Indiana Plumbing Commission, part of the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA), licenses plumbers. Per Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-18.1 and IPLA:

• The apprentice has to be at least 17.
• They register with the commission. The application fee is $10.
• They have to be in a commission-approved apprenticeship program. The program sponsor fills out a sponsor certification form with the supervising journeyman or contractor's name and license number.
• The licensed plumbing contractor or journeyman who employs them signs a statement that the apprentice is their employee and will work under their direct and immediate personal supervision.
• A hire who has applied to an approved program but is waiting or waitlisted can work under that supervision for up to one year. If they don't get in or wait past a year, they stop, and the supervising plumber tells the commission.

Per Indiana PHCC, since July 1, 2024 apprentices file their own applications online through MyLicense. The payoff: per IPLA, a journeyman license takes at least four years in an apprenticeship program (or another state's license).

IPLA's approved list includes, around Indianapolis, the ABC of Indiana Apprenticeship Trust, Mechanical Skills, Inc., and the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 440 JATC, plus programs from Fort Wayne to New Albany.

Electrical: licensed locally

Indiana-specific: Indiana has no state license for electrical contractors. Indy.gov says it plainly: for electrical, HVAC and wrecking contractors, "There is no state license for these contractors." Licensing is up to the city or town.

In Indianapolis, the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS) licenses electrical contractors after an exam and Board of Electrical Examiners approval. Elsewhere, ask your city or county building department.

Two association programs in the Indianapolis area:

• IEC Indy runs a federally recognized electrical apprenticeship. It takes at least 576 classroom hours and 8,000 documented on-the-job hours with an electrical contractor. Class is one night a week for four years, or two nights for two. Apprentices must be 18 and work for an electrical contractor. Member contractors get discounted tuition.
• ABC Indiana/Kentucky, with Vincennes University, runs Department of Labor approved programs in electrical, HVAC, plumbing and other trades, mostly for commercial and industrial work. ABC's enrollment page lists the first-year electrical cost (tuition, books and fees) at $1,615 for member companies and $2,015 for non-members, over two semesters.

HVAC: licensed locally

Indiana-specific: Same as electrical. No state license. Local rules.

In Indianapolis, the city code (Chapter 875, Article III) is useful for an owner thinking about an apprentice:

• An unlicensed employee of a licensed heating and cooling contractor can do the work while under the direction and control of a licensed contractor.
• The licensed person, or a competent person responsible to them, must be on site when any significant heating and cooling work happens.
• To get their own contractor license later, a person needs five years of practical experience, or experience plus school totaling five years, and must meet the board's exam requirement.

For training, Indiana PHCC lists a two-year fast-track HVAC program in Fort Wayne and a four-year plumbing and HVAC program around Evansville. ABC and Vincennes University have an HVAC track too.

What it costs, and where Indiana helps

Wages and tuition. You set the wage steps in the program standards, and they have to rise as skills grow. Tuition varies. ABC's numbers above give you an idea, and several programs charge members less.

Indiana-specific: the Power Up Employer Training Grant. DWD's 2026 manual says Indiana employers can be reimbursed up to $5,000 per employee and up to $50,000 per employer per year. Registered apprenticeships are eligible "year after year." Here's the fine print:

• It runs through your local workforce development board, not a single state office.
• Your business needs an Indiana unemployment tax (SUTA) account, a Secretary of State registration and a physical Indiana location.
• For apprentices, you need a signed ETA Form 671 apprenticeship agreement showing at least a 10% wage increase by the end of the program.
• The manual also lists a $20 an hour starting wage requirement. Ask your local board how that applies to an apprentice before you count on the money.

Veterans. Per Apprenticeship.gov, veterans with GI Bill benefits can get a monthly stipend on top of your wages.

The federal WOTC. The IRS page currently says the Work Opportunity Tax Credit covers people who began work on or before December 31, 2025. Unless Congress extends it, don't plan a 2026 hire around it. Ask your accountant.

Step by step: your first apprentice in Indiana

1. Call a program near you. Plumbing: IPLA's approved list. Electrical: IEC Indy or ABC. HVAC: an Indiana PHCC school or ABC. Ask about schedules, tuition and start dates.
2. Building your own? Use Apprenticeship.gov's Express Interest form or Apprenticeship Indiana's organization search.
3. Pick the mentor. Probably you. Plan for the supervision rules above.
4. Write the wage steps. Starting pay, and when it goes up.
5. Call your local workforce board about Power Up before training starts.
6. Hire and sign the paperwork. Plumbing apprentices also register with IPLA.

What happens if you don't

Nothing dramatic. That's the problem. You keep waiting for a finished tech who isn't coming, and doing every job yourself. Next fall you're in the same spot with the same one truck. An apprentice you start this winter would be a year in by then.

"I don't have time to train someone."

Fair. You'll give up hours. But you're already spending them, on jobs a second set of hands could help with. And the classroom part isn't on you. The program teaches theory and code. You teach the job.

"They'll just leave once I train them."

Some will. Treat them right and pay them fairly as they grow, and fewer will. The Department of Labor says 90% of apprentices stay employed after completing their apprenticeship. And if you never train anyone, you're sure to have nobody.

"I can't afford tuition and a wage."

Then look at Power Up first. Up to $5,000 back per employee is real money for a small shop. Ask your program about member rates. And run the hire math from the last post. If the work is there, the math will tell you.

Keep catching calls while you train

Nobody warns you about this part. While you're teaching, you're even harder to reach. You're under a house showing someone a drain line, and the phone rings in the truck.

That's where KeptRing fits. It answers the calls you miss. Your phone rings first. If nobody picks up, the call forwards to KeptRing. It answers in your company's name and says up front that it's a virtual assistant. It takes the caller's details and emails you the lead. It doesn't book jobs, text your callers or quote prices. You call them back.

Starter is $149 a month per line for 300 answered minutes, Pro is $249 for 600, and Crew is $449 for 1,200. That's about 100/200/400 calls a month if calls run about 2½ minutes (each such call counts as 3 minutes). Extra minutes are $0.40 each on every plan, billed on the next invoice. The first 10 paying customers get 20% off any plan for as long as they stay subscribed. See pricing for details. Hear how it sounds first: try the demo line.

Not in Indiana?

Most of this still works. What changes by state:

• Who registers programs. Some states use the federal Office of Apprenticeship, like Indiana. Others have a state agency. Apprenticeship.gov lists which is which.
• Licensing. Some states license these trades statewide, with their own apprentice registration. Check your state board.
• Money. Ask your state workforce agency whether it has a training grant that covers apprentices.

What I'd do this week

1. Call one program on the lists above. Ask when the next class starts.
2. Call your local workforce board and ask about Power Up.
3. Write down the wage steps you could afford.

Then decide who catches the calls while you're training.

Your next step: start the 14-day free trial. It's $0 today, and the trial includes up to 250 answered minutes per line. A card is required to start the 14-day free trial, and nothing is charged during the trial. If it doesn't catch calls you would have missed, cancel online and you owe nothing.

Tom

Questions owners ask about apprentices

Do I need a license to hire a plumbing apprentice in Indiana?

The apprentice has to work under the direct and immediate personal supervision of a licensed Indiana plumbing contractor or journeyman plumber, and register with the Indiana Plumbing Commission through an approved program.

Does Indiana have a state electrical or HVAC license?

No. Per indy.gov, there is no state license for electrical or HVAC contractors in Indiana. Cities and towns set their own rules. In Indianapolis, the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services handles it.

How long is an apprenticeship?

A time-based registered program needs at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job learning. Trade programs run longer. IEC Indy's electrical program requires 8,000 on-the-job hours, and an Indiana plumbing journeyman license needs at least four years in an apprenticeship program.

Can I get money back for training an apprentice in Indiana?

Possibly. DWD's 2026 Power Up Employer Training Grant can reimburse up to $5,000 per employee, with wage requirements. Ask your local workforce development board.

Does KeptRing book jobs or text my callers?

No. KeptRing answers the calls you miss, says it's a virtual assistant, takes the caller's details, and emails you the lead. You call them back.

Disclosure: KeptRing sells AI answering for contractors. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and grant terms change, so confirm with the agencies and programs listed. No programs or associations named here endorse KeptRing.

Sources

1. U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship.gov, "Registered Apprenticeship Program" (key elements, national credential, GI Bill stipend, 90% stay employed after completing). https://www.apprenticeship.gov/employers/registered-apprenticeship-program (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
2. Code of Federal Regulations, 29 CFR 29.5, "Standards of apprenticeship" (2,000 hour minimum for time-based programs, 144 hours recommended instruction, progressive wages, ratio, probation, minimum age 16). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-A/part-29/section-29.5 (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
3. U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship.gov, "Apprenticeship System" (Indiana is an Office of Apprenticeship state). https://www.apprenticeship.gov/about-us/apprenticeship-system (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
4. U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship.gov, "Express Interest." https://www.apprenticeship.gov/employers/express-interest (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
5. Indiana Department of Workforce Development, "Apprenticeship Indiana for Employers" (join or build, Standard of Apprenticeship, DOL approval). https://www.in.gov/dwd/apprenticeship-indiana/employer/ (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
6. Indiana DWD, Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship (RAP, SEAL, 1:1 mentor). https://dwdportal.dwd.in.gov/owbla/owbla_landing/ (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
7. Indiana DWD, Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship, "About Us" (created 2018). https://www.in.gov/dwd/owbla/about-us/ (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
8. Indiana DWD, Apprenticeship Indiana, "Organization Search." https://www.in.gov/dwd/apprenticeship-indiana/organization-search/ (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
9. Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, "Plumbing Licensing Information" (apprentice requirements, $10 fee, approved programs, four years for journeyman). https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/plumbing-home/plumbing-licensing-information/ (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
10. Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-18.1, apprentice plumber registration (age 17, supervision, one-year rule). Text via Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/indiana/title-25/article-28-5/chapter-1/section-25-28-5-1-18-1/ (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
11. Indiana Plumbing Heating and Cooling Contractors Association, "Apprenticeships in Indiana" (affiliated schools, how apprentices register since July 1, 2024). https://www.inphcc.com/apprentice-schools/ (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
12. City of Indianapolis, indy.gov, "Contractor Licenses" (no state license for electrical or HVAC contractors). https://www.indy.gov/activity/contractor-licenses (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
13. Indianapolis and Marion County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 875, Article III, heating and cooling contractors (Sec. 875-301, 875-309, 875-320). https://library.municode.com/in/indianapolis_-_marion_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIVBUCORELI_CH875COSKTR_ARTIIILIREHECOCO (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
14. Independent Electrical Contractors of Indianapolis (IEC Indy), "Apprenticeship Programs." https://iec-indy.org/apprenticeship-programs/ (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
15. Associated Builders and Contractors of Indiana/Kentucky, "Online Enrollment" (tuition table). https://abcindianakentucky.org/online-enrollment/ (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
16. Vincennes University, "Apprenticeship Opportunities: The VU and ABC Partnership." https://www.vinu.edu/workforce-development/construction-abc.html (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
17. Indiana DWD, "Power Up Employer Training Grant Manual 2026." https://www.in.gov/dwd/files/power-up/Power-Up-Indiana-Manual.pdf (checked Oct. 19, 2026)
18. Internal Revenue Service, "Work Opportunity Tax Credit." https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/work-opportunity-tax-credit (checked Oct. 19, 2026)