41st Annual N.C. State Fair Electrical Apprentice Contest

DIVISION 101 – APPRENTICE CONTESTS

Class 02 – ELECTRICAL

Contest Information:

• DATE: Wednesday, October 21, 2026, contestant check-in starts promptly at 7:00 a.m.
• LOCATION: N.C. State Fair, behind the Jim Graham Building off Hillsborough Street
• JUDGING: Upon contest completion, a panel of judges will evaluate the projects according to an official rubric and electrical code.
• AWARDS: Presented Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 3:00 p.m., following the completion of judging.
• PREMIUMS: 1st Place: $325, 2nd Place: $225, 3rd Place: $175, 4th Place: $125, 5th Place: $100, 6th-10th Places: $75
• Tools donated by manufacturers and suppliers will be presented to all contestants.
• The first-place winner and their employer will be recognized with plaques at a later date.

Registration Rules & Information:

• Contest registration opens at 8:00 a.m. on July 15, 2026, and closes at 11:59 p.m. on September 4, 2026.
  • Entries will not be accepted before or after these dates. No exceptions. The date and time of each entry will be recorded when received by ApprenticeshipNC.
    • A registration link will appear on this page when registration opens. 
• Contestants cannot enter themselves. Their entry forms must be submitted by their employers/program sponsors
• The contest is limited to Electrician Registered Apprentices enrolled in ApprenticeshipNC recognized programs.
  • Contestants must have completed at least two years (4,001 OJT hours and 288 related instruction hours), but not more than four years (8,000 OJT hours) of training and not have received a Certificate of Completion by October 21, 2026, as certified by the Registered Apprenticeship Program sponsor/participating employer, verified by ApprenticeshipNC, and approved by the Contest Committee.
• Contestants cannot compete if they have passed any States Contracting Licensing Boards Exam or have been approved to take such an exam before the date of the competition.
• All required documentation must be submitted prior to the start of the contest in order for contestants to compete.
• First place winners are ineligible to compete in future contests.
• The contest is limited to 36 qualifying contestants. ApprenticeshipNC will maintain an alternate list of up to four contestants.

Limitation on the Number of Applicants per Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP):

Each RAP sponsor or employer may submit up to eight regular applicants and two alternates. Alternates must be designated as primary and secondary. Only regular applicants will be considered among the first 36 qualifying contestants.

RAP sponsors or employers with multiple programs or locations will be treated as a single entity for the purpose of submitting entry forms. If a pool of eligible applicants is used to fill the 36 available spots, one additional entry per sponsor/contractor will be selected in each round. This process will continue in rounds until all 36 contestants have been chosen.

Contest Planning Committee:

• ApprenticeshipNC
• Industry partners and employers
• NC Electrical Contractors and Associations
• NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors
• N.C. Office of State Fire Marshal

The State of North Carolina will require the submission of a NC Substitute W-9 prior to making any payment of $600 or greater or any payment that results in a total of $600 or more during one calendar year from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to any individual or entity. All exhibitors are strongly encouraged to complete and upload the NC Substitute W-9 form to prevent any delay in receiving premium prize money.

Due to entry deadline extensions by committees, some contestants, contributors, and/or sponsors may not be listed in the printed program. These individuals and organizations will be acknowledged at the awards presentation. The contest committee reserves the right to make changes prior to the contest date. Updates to any contest will be posted at www.apprenticeshipnc.com/events.

About the Contest:

Held annually for over 40 years, the N.C. State Fair Electrical Apprentice Contest promotes interest in skilled trades while showcasing the next generation of North Carolina’s workforce. The contest is organized by ApprenticeshipNC, the North Carolina Association of Electrical Contractors, the NC State Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors, the N.C. Office of State Fire Marshal, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and industry partners. It brings together the state’s top electrical apprentices to compete head-to-head, demonstrating their skill, knowledge, and precision.

Acknowledgements:

Tenders: Northern Nash High School, Rocky Mount

For registration or contest related questions, please contact ApprenticeshipNC Communications Assistant Margaret Spainhour at spainhourm@nccommunitycolleges.edu.