Pre-employment tests are required for a wide variety of jobs at Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). Depending on the job, these may include tests of:
- General ability
- Job-specific skills
- Job knowledge, or
- Work-related attitudes/behaviors
These tests fairly and efficiently evaluate job seekers and applicants. They help to ensure those hired are likely to be successful and safe on the job. Tests used at PG&E are developed and validated based on rigorous legal and professional standards of test validation.
Prerequisite Tests
If you are selected to move forward in the hiring process, you may be invited to take one or more of these tests online.
- Physical Test Battery (PTB)
- Industrial Skills Test (IST)
- Clerical Test Battery (CTB)
- Work Orientation Inventory (WOI)
If you are invited to take these tests online, keep the following in mind:
- You will receive an email the Monday morning of the scheduled test date with the test instructions, link to the test and your test key (a series of numbers and letters).
- You will have 5 calendar days to take the test upon receiving this email
- The test key will expire in 5 calendar days and cannot be extended.
- Complete the test as soon as possible in case you encounter technical difficulties.
- If you have technical difficulties, contact the vendor’s Technical Support right away.
- You are only permitted to have scratch paper and pencil/pen during the online test.
- If you receive duplicate invites to the same test, only take the test one time.
Secondary Tests
- Many jobs require applicants to pass both a prerequisite test plus an additional test called a ‘secondary test’.
- For external applicants, if your application is being moved forward in the hiring process, you will receive an email from the Recruiter to invite you to take the secondary test.
For current employees only
Current employees cannot enroll in a secondary test through My Learning.
- If you meet all other testing requirements, you can apply to an unrestricted (URA) position.
- If your application is being moved forward in the hiring process, you will receive an email from the Recruiter to invite you to take the secondary test.
If you have a job bid, send a test request to TestRequests@pge.com with "Name of Test" in the subject line (e.g. ETT). Include your personnel number, bid code and test location preference.
- For general testing questions, e-mail HRTestingHotline@pge.com with your personnel number or last 4 of your SSN in your correspondence.

Common questions about pre-employment testing
As an equal employment opportunity employer, PG&E is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to take the required pre-employment tests.
If you believe you have limitations that may impact your pre-employment testing experience, you may request a reasonable accommodation.
To ensure prompt handling of a reasonable accommodation request, please obtain documentation from a health care provider (e.g., physician, nurse, vocational counselor) that attests to your disability or impairment.
If you receive an email with an invitation to take a test, that email will specify how to submit a testing reasonable accommodations request.
Depending on which test you are scheduled to take, assessments may be taken online unproctored, proctored electronic or proctored paper-and-pencil.
All pre-employment tests at PG&E allow you to retest after a waiting period.
Wait times
- The second attempt must be no earlier than 90 days after the first attempt.
- The third and subsequent attempts must be no earlier than 180 days after the previous attempt.
Attempt limits
- For tests measuring aptitude, behaviors, personality, attitudes, or general skills and abilities, the number of times an individual may retake the test is unlimited, regardless of whether the individual is a current employee or external candidate.
- For tests measuring job-specific knowledge, skills, or abilities, the number of times an individual may retake the same test is unlimited for current employees and limited to three attempts for external candidates.
Additional screening that you need to go through before you can be hired at PG&E may include:
- Criminal Background
- DMV record
- Drug Screening
- Education
- Employment History
- Post-Offer Physical Assessment (for certain positions)
- Line Worker Preparation Guide (PDF, 631 KB)
- Gas Service Representative Preparation Guide (PDF, 591 KB)
- Utility Worker Preparation Guide (PDF, 633 KB)
- Apprentice Cable Splicer Preparation Guide (PDF, 745 KB)
- CIP Inspector Preparation Guide (PDF, 731 KB)
- Apprentice Electrician – Electric Asset Management (PDF, 832 KB)
- Materials Handler (PDF, 668 KB)
- Materials Leadperson (PDF, 746 KB)
General test preparation resource guide
Download PG&E's pre-employment test taking guide for strategies on logic and reasoning, reading comprehension, math problem solving and more.
Other test preparation guides
Download guides to prepare for prerequisite tests
Industrial Skills Test (IST) Preparation Guide
- Filename
- industrial_skills_test _ist_ preparation_guide.pdf
- Size
- 493 KB
- Format
- application/pdf
Work Orientation Inventory (WOI)
- Filename
- Work_Orientation_Inventory _WOI_Preparation_Guide.pdf
- Size
- 222 KB
- Format
- application/pdf
- Apprentice Electrical Technician Test (ETT) Preparation Guide (PDF, 344 KB)
- Apprentice Gas Control Technician (AGCT) Entrance Exam Preparation Guide (PDF, 497 KB)
- Apprentice Gas Technician (AGT) Test Preparation Guide (PDF, 110 KB)
- Apprentice LNG/CNG Technician (ALCT) Entrance Exam Preparation Guide (PDF, 1.04 MB)
- Apprentice Meter Systems Technician Test (AMT) Preparation Guide (PDF, 458 KB)
- Apprentice Telecommunications Technician Test (CTT) Preparation Guide (PDF, 334 KB)
- Apprentice Transmission Mechanic (ATM) Entrance Exam Preparation Guide (PDF, 866 KB)
- Assessment for Cable Splicer Progression (ACSP) Preparation Guide (PDF, 302 KB)
- Assessment for Lineworker Progression (ALP) Preparation Guide (PDF, 651 KB)
- Contact Center Virtual Scenario (CCVS) Preparation Guide (PDF, 117 KB)
- Electrician - Steam Generation (ESG) Preparation Guide (PDF, 209 KB)
- Expert Project Controls Analyst (EPCA-EV/EPCA-S) Preparation Guide (PDF, 161 KB)
- Gas Control Technician (GCT) Preparation Guide (PDF, 168 KB)
- Journey Welder Knowledge Assessment (JWKA) and Journey Welder Math Assessment (JWMA) Preparation Guide (PDF, 150 KB)
- Lead Electrical Technician Knowledge Assessment (LETKA) Preparation Guide (PDF, 127 KB)
- Lead Electrical Technician Knowledge Assessment-Hydro (LETKA-H) Preparation Guide (PDF, 119 KB)
- Lead Hydro Operator Interview (LHOINT) Preparation Guide (PDF, 167 KB)
- Lead Skills Assessment (LSA) Preparation Guide (PDF, 140 KB)
- Lead System Operator Interview (LSOINT) Preparation Guide (PDF, 132 KB)
- Lead System Operator Knowledge Assessment (LSOKA) Preparation Guide (PDF, 49 KB)
- MS Office Skills Preparation Guide (PDF, 176 KB)
- Power Plant Operator Selection Test (POSS) (see below*)
- Safety and Infrastructure Protection Crew Lead (SIPCL) Test Preparation Guide (PDF, 29 KB)
- Safety and Infrastructure Protection Crew Lead External (SIPCLE) Test Preparation Guide (PDF, 72 KB)
- Scheduler Test Battery (STB) Preparation Guide (PDF, 329 KB)
- Senior Telecommunications Technician Entrance Exam (Sr. Telecom Tech EE) Preparation Guide (PDF, 54 KB)
- System Dispatcher Test (SDT) Preparation Guide (PDF, 149 KB)
- Technical Test (TECH) (see below*)
- Typing Test Preparation Guide (PDF, 109 KB)
*Visit Edison Electric Institute (EEI), one of our testing partners, for test preparation guides on the following tests:
- Power Plant Operator Selection Test (POSS)
- Technical Test (TECH)
Username: pacific
Password: ocean
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Contact us
For general testing questions, email HRTestingHotline@pge.com with your Personnel Number or last 4 of your SSN noted.