The apprenticeship program includes four years of classroom instruction two evenings per week during the school year and on-the-job training with a member electrical contractor. Classes begin in September and run through April each year. Students are trained in residential, commercial and industrial electrical work, as well as blueprint reading and code, for a total of 576 classroom hours over the four years. In addition, apprentices must acquire 8,000 hours of on-the-job training. Upon completion, students are issued a State of Maryland Certificate of Completion, identifying the student as a qualified journeyperson electrician.

The Harford County Electrical Contractors Association (HCECA) was formed as an official group in 1941. In 1978, the organization was restructured and over the next few years it became one of the largest electrical apprenticeship programs in the state of Maryland. HCECA organized its members, worked with local and state agencies, hired educational consultants, and formed a long-term academic partnership with Harford Community College, thus ensuring the stability and growth of the trade.