| Type | Trade-association apprenticeship sponsor (not a college): paid work for a contractor plus weekly evening classes and online study |
|---|---|
| Locations | Training sites in Indiana (Indianapolis, Columbus, Daleville, Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Lafayette) and Kentucky (Bowling Green, Lexington, Louisville), plus an office in Greenwood, Indiana |
| Credentials | U.S. Department of Labor Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship, ABC Certificate of Completion, NCCER credentials; optional Vincennes University associate degree for Indiana apprentices |
| Program length | Four years in most trades |
| Approvals | Registered apprenticeship sponsor with the U.S. Department of Labor; the chapter says it is an NCCER Accredited Training Sponsor and a BICSI Accredited Training Facility |
| Federal aid | No (not a Title IV institution); employers often pay tuition |
| Organization | Indiana Kentucky Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, a nonprofit 501(c)(6) business league; formed in 2013 by merging the Indiana and Kentucky chapters. Headquarters: Indianapolis |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
A contractors’ association that runs apprenticeships
ABC Indiana/Kentucky is the Indiana and Kentucky chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, a national construction trade association. It is not a school you enroll in on your own: it sponsors U.S. Department of Labor registered apprenticeships for people who already work for a contractor, usually an ABC member. The chapter was formed in 2013 when ABC’s Indiana and Kentucky chapters merged, which a 2013 news report called the first merger in ABC’s history. It says it ranks in the top five ABC chapters for membership and the top three for education and training.
How an ABC apprenticeship works
- You need a job first. Apprentices are employed by a contractor and earn a wage while they learn, building up about 8,000 hours of on-the-job learning over four years.
- One evening class a week. Classes start in late August and meet once a week for three hours in the evening, with three hours of online study each week. Most trades take four years of classes.
- Registration by site. Apprentices register through the chapter’s online system, by training-site group: Indianapolis, Daleville, Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Lafayette, Greenwood/Columbus and Kentucky/Southern Indiana.
- A certificate, not a licence. Completers receive the Department of Labor’s Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship, an ABC Certificate of Completion and NCCER credentials, plus safety credentials such as OSHA 10 and First Aid/CPR. A journeyman or electrician licence is a separate step, set by the state or city, and the rules differ between Indiana and Kentucky (see below).
Trades and where they are taught
The chapter lists 22 registered apprenticeship trades. Five of them appear, with their Indiana training sites, on the state’s eligible training-provider list kept by the Department of Workforce Development (DWD). Ask the chapter which trades its Kentucky sites teach.
| Apprenticeship | Length | Indiana sites (DWD list) | After completion | Total cost on DWD list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical | 4 years | Indianapolis, Columbus, Daleville, Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Lafayette | Indiana: local (city or county) licence. Kentucky: state Electrician licence (8,000 hours plus exam) | $9,778 |
| HVAC (Heating and Air Conditioning Installer Servicer) | 4 years | Indianapolis, Daleville, Elkhart, Fort Wayne | Kentucky (if you work there): journeyman HVAC licence exam | $9,778 |
| Plumbing | 4 years | Indianapolis, Daleville, Fort Wayne | Indiana: journeyman plumber licence (4 years of apprenticeship plus exam) | $7,845 |
| Carpentry | 4 years | Indianapolis, Elkhart, Fort Wayne | – | $9,778 |
| Sheet Metal | 4 years | Indianapolis, Daleville, Fort Wayne | – | $9,778 |
| 17 other registered trades, e.g. pipefitter, sprinkler fitter, millwright, electronic systems technician, line erector, welder | Mostly 4 years | Ask the chapter | Varies | Ask the chapter |
The DWD totals are for the full four years; the listings give no effective date. For Kentucky sites, ask the chapter which trades are taught and what they cost.
Beyond apprenticeships, the chapter runs BICSI structured-cabling courses (Installer 1, Installer 2 Copper, Installer 2 Optical Fiber and a five-day Technician course), continuing education courses, apprentice craft competitions, and a Construction Prep Academy for high-school juniors and seniors. The Prep Academy is a two-year program, not an apprenticeship; students who complete the Level I apprenticeship requirements get a one-year head start if they become apprentices.
What the main apprenticeships involve
This section covers hours, sites and the licence step for each trade.
Electrical
The electrical apprenticeship is the most widely offered: six Indiana sites are on the state list. Vincennes University’s 2017–18 catalog described it as at least 144 classroom hours a year, 576 in total, plus 8,000 hours of on-the-job learning; ABC’s current schedule is one three-hour evening class and three hours online each week. Indiana has no statewide electrician licence: cities and counties set their own experience and exam rules. Kentucky’s state Electrician licence requires 8,000 hours of verifiable experience and a passing exam score, so a completed four-year apprenticeship covers the hours but not the exam.
HVAC
The HVAC apprenticeship (registered as Heating and Air Conditioning Installer Servicer) runs four years at Indianapolis, Daleville, Elkhart and Fort Wayne. A 2016 slide deck on ABC from an Indiana DWD event described about 2,000 hours of on-the-job training per year of study. Kentucky licenses journeyman HVAC mechanics: its regulation counts a year of experience as at least 1,500 hours in 12 months, and the exam pass mark is 70%.
Plumbing
The plumbing apprenticeship runs four years at Indianapolis, Daleville and Fort Wayne. That length matters in Indiana: the state Plumbing Commission requires journeyman plumber applicants to have at least four years in an apprenticeship program (or a licence from another state) and to pass an exam. Ask the chapter how its completers apply.
Cost and who pays
Indiana’s DWD training-provider listings give a total of $9,778 for the four-year electrical, HVAC, carpentry and sheet metal apprenticeships and $7,845 for plumbing. The listings don’t say when these prices took effect. For Kentucky sites, ask the chapter for costs.
Employers often pay much of the cost. Vincennes University says ABC member employers frequently cover or heavily subsidize the cost of trade instruction, and a 2016 slide deck on ABC from a state workforce event said training companies covered about 95% of tuition. Ask your employer what it pays before you sign up.
ABC Indiana/Kentucky is not eligible for federal student aid (Pell Grants or student loans). The chapter says it is certified by Veterans Affairs; ask it whether your GI Bill benefits apply. Because its Indiana apprenticeships are on the state training-provider list, ask your local WorkOne office whether state or federal workforce training funds can help.
A tuition-free associate degree for Indiana apprentices
Through a partnership of more than 17 years, Vincennes University (VU) counts ABC apprenticeship training toward a VU Associate of Science degree. ABC calls it “a tuition free associate degree opportunity for all ABC Indiana apprentices”; Kentucky apprentices are not mentioned. VU’s tracks include electrical and electronic systems technician. A technical A.S. can then count for 60 credits toward VU’s online 120-credit B.S. in Technology – Construction Management.
Getting in
The first step is a job with a contractor willing to sponsor you, usually an ABC member. The chapter runs a job board (ABC Merit Jobs) and the Build Your Future Indiana site. Ask the chapter or your employer about age, diploma and other entry requirements. Classes begin in late August.
Accreditation and results
The chapter is a U.S. Department of Labor registered apprenticeship sponsor and says it is an NCCER Accredited Training Sponsor and a BICSI Accredited Training Facility. It publishes no completion, licensing or job-placement rates, and it holds yearly graduations (one statewide ceremony in Indiana, plus Kentucky ceremonies in New Albany, Indiana and Bowling Green) without publishing graduate numbers.
Before you enroll
- This is usually a four-year commitment, classes begin in late August, and you need a sponsoring employer before you can begin.
- The Certificate of Completion is not a licence. Electricians in Kentucky, journeyman plumbers in Indiana and electricians in Indiana cities that license them still have to pass a licensing exam.
- In Kentucky, ask the chapter which trades meet at Louisville, Lexington or Bowling Green, and what they cost, before you count on one.
- The tuition-free Vincennes University degree is offered to Indiana apprentices; Kentucky apprentices should ask whether it applies to them.
Sources
ABC IN/KY Education · Craft Training & Apprenticeship · About ABC IN/KY · Indiana DWD training listings (electricians) · Vincennes University – ABC · Indiana Plumbing Commission · KRS 227A.060 (Kentucky electricians) · ABC graduations. Checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Registered apprenticeships on Indiana's training-provider list (4 years)
- Electrical Apprenticeship
- HVAC Apprenticeship (Heating and Air Conditioning Installer Servicer)
- Plumbing Apprenticeship
- Carpentry Apprenticeship
- Sheet Metal Apprenticeship
Other registered apprenticeship trades (ask the chapter where they are taught)
- Boilermaker
- Bricklayer
- Building Maintenance Repairer
- Cement Mason
- Construction Craft Laborer
- Electronic Systems Technician
- Glazier
- Insulation Worker
- Line Erector
- Metal Building Assembler
- Millwright
- Operating Engineer
- Painter
- Pipefitter
- Roofer
- Sprinkler Fitter
- Welder
Degree option (Indiana apprentices)
- Associate of Science through Vincennes University
High school program
- Construction Prep Academy I and II (high-school juniors and seniors)
BICSI structured cabling courses
- IN101 Installer 1
- IN225 Installer 2 Copper
- IN250 Installer 2 Optical Fiber
- TE350 Technician
Other training and credentials
- Continuing education courses
- Safety credentials earned during the apprenticeship: OSHA 10, First Aid/CPR, Lockout-Tagout, Fall Protection, lift certifications
Campus Locations
Indianapolis, IN 5001 N. Shadeland Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46226
Elkhart, IN 1710 Leer Drive, Elkhart, IN 46514
Lexington, KY 157 Venture Court, Lexington, KY 40511
Bowling Green, KY 101 Vanderbilt Ct., Bowling Green, KY 42103
Fort Wayne, IN 4201 Parnell Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN 46805
Louisville, KY 1810 Taylor Avenue, Louisville, KY 40213
Lafayette, IN 2841 Concord Rd., Suite A, Lafayette, IN 47909
Daleville, IN 15355 W. Sater Street, Daleville, IN 47334
Columbus, IN 1636 State, Suite D, Columbus, IN 47201