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About PHCC-GSA Training Facility
PHCC-GSA Training programs give students the opportunity to learn a trade with paid hands-on experience, and while building a career.
Students work for a C-36 Plumbing licensed contractor and are paid for on-the-job training. Students are required to complete 800 hours of classroom instruction and 7,200 hours of on-the-job training during the four (4) year program.
The federally-approved apprenticeship program runs in conjunction with the state-approved training program. Students are registered with the United States Department of Labor and are approved to work on Davis Bacon projects.
Students must be physically able to perform the work of the trade and be willing to follow the Rules and Regulations and Standards governing the program.
Apprentice Program
PHCC-GSA Training Facility offers State & Federal registered Plumbing apprenticeship training programs for 47 Northern California counties.
California requires the use of apprentices on all state public works construction projects. PHCC Apprentices are registered with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards and are authorized to work on public works projects.
Trainee Program
The trainee program is offered to employers who perform residential and/or private commercial work. This program parallels the Apprenticeship Program and is offered throughout the state. The difference between the apprenticeship and trainee programs is that trainees are not registered with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards and cannot work as apprentices on Public Works projects. Trainees receive the same education and training as apprentices.
Applicants with prior experience in the plumbing trade may be eligible to challenge 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and the first half of 4th year with proof submitted for previously completed work hours. Participation from subscribing employers is a must.
Applicant Requirements
- Applicant must be a new enrollee; current or former apprentices/trainees enrolled from 2017 and on, are not eligible.
- Former apprentices or trainees who have not been terminated due to disciplinary action are eligible to enroll, provided they have sponsorship from a subscribing employer after a 365-day waiting period from the last day enrolled.
- Former apprentice/trainee who have been terminated due to disciplinary actions are eligible to enroll, provided they have sponsorship from a subscribing employer after a 3-year waiting period from the termination date.
- Trainees who graduated prior to 2017 may qualify for "indentured apprentice" status when applying for enrollment to fulfill Skilled and Trained Workforce criteria. All other conditions remain applicable.
- Take the entrance exam, unless a complete archive file is located.
- Applicants enrolled prior to 2008 must provide a transcript and progress report from the time of discharge.
- The qualifying applicant must provide verifiable proof of at least one year of work hours experience (equivalent to 2000 hours in the field), via W-2 forms per year challenging.
- If hours submitted do not meet the requirement, the hours will not be granted, and the applicant will not be permitted to take that year’s challenge test.
- First half of 4th year challenge test requirement: 1,000 hours in the field experience via W2 forms.
- Applicants are given three hours to complete each test and must pass each year’s challenge test with a score of 70% or better.
- Applicants may only take each challenge test one time and must pass each year’s test to progress to the next year’s test.
- Challenge tests are open-book. Applicants must bring their own current Uniform Plumbing Code Book (UPC), Blue/Black ink pens, and Master 5 Construction calculator. None of the items listed above will be provided by PHCC. Applicants will not be given study materials prior to the test.
- Upon successfully passing a challenge test, an applicant will be credited 2,000 hours (1,800 OJT + 200 RSI) per year challenged, and 1,000 hours (900 OJT + 100 RSI) will be credited towards half of the 4th year training program. If the applicant passes the challenge tests for all four years and registers in the apprenticeship program, they must complete at least six months in the apprenticeship, attend a 4.2 class session, and fulfill the remaining 900 OJT hours out of the required 7,200, as well as the remaining 100 classroom hours out of the required 800.
- Indentured apprentices must successfully complete both classroom and On-the-Job training hours to receive a certificate of completion from the State of California Division of Apprenticeship Standards, the United States Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship, and the PHCC GSA.
- Challenge tests are scheduled and proctored by PHCC GSA Training Facility staff only, at the training office located at 1820 Tribute Road, Suite A, in Sacramento, CA 95815. Each year’s challenge test can only be taken once per applicant and must be taken prior to enrollment into the training program and dispatched to the employer. After completion of the challenge test, the applicant will be notified of the results and the year they will start the program.
Challenge Test Fees
Each year, the applicant wishes to challenge, an application fee with the required form and W-2s must be submitted in order to schedule a test date, along with an enrollment fee per year challenged.
Challenge tests are scheduled and proctored by PHCC GSA Training Facility staff at the training office located at 1820 Tribute Road, Suite A, in Sacramento, CA 95815. Each year’s challenge test can only be taken once per applicant and must be taken prior to enrollment into the training program and dispatched to the employer. After completion of the challenge test, the applicant will be notified of the results and the year they will start the program in.
For all questions and/or to request the Challenge test form - contact the PHCC GSA Training Facility Monday - Thursday 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM and Fridays 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM via email at info@phccgsa.org or by phone at (916) 640-0910.