Elevator industry aptitude test practice

What the real test usually looks like

Who gives it. Elevator mechanic apprentices join through recruitments, the formal application process each IUEC local holds every two years. After applying, there are two more steps: the Elevator Industry Aptitude Test (EIAT), then an interview for those who pass (NEIEP).

What it covers. NEIEP says the EIAT assesses basic arithmetic, reading comprehension, mechanical comprehension and general tool knowledge (NEIEP). Its 2024 study guide describes the written test this way (NEIEP study guide):

• On paper, 100 multiple-choice questions. It is not a test of what you already know about elevator work.
• Reading comprehension, 35 questions: a passage with numbered blanks, each with four words to choose from.
• Mechanical aptitude, 35 questions: a drawing and three choices, such as A, B or no difference. The guide lists levers, pulleys, gears, hydraulics (area and pressure) and balancing weights on a fulcrum.
• Mathematics, 30 questions: arithmetic with fractions, decimals and percentages, order of operations and basic algebra, with a fifth choice of "No answer".
• A tool assessment. NEIEP says correct responses on the tool assessment count toward the final score on the interview (NEIEP).

Timing. The NEIEP pages and study guide we checked do not publish a time limit. Your recruitment notice or local is the place to confirm it.

What our mocks cover. Our full mocks are 100 questions in 90 minutes, in the same three parts and order: reading comprehension (35 questions, a word to fill the blank in a passage), mechanical aptitude (35 questions with A, B and "There is no difference", or a direction to choose) and mathematics (30 questions, four numbers then "None of these"). There is no calculator, and you can go back and flag questions. They leave out the tool knowledge assessment, which uses photographs of tools, so learn the names and uses of common hand and power tools separately.

Question types with worked examples

One worked example for each part, with the trap most people fall into.

1. Reading: fill the blank. "The inspector found a loose bolt and asked the crew to ____ it before the car was used." Choices: paint, tighten, sell, hide. Answer: tighten, the only word that fixes a loose bolt. Trap: picking a word that fits the grammar but not the meaning. Read the whole passage, not just the sentence with the blank.

2. Mechanical: levers. A 40-pound weight sits 2 feet from a pivot. How much force at 4 feet on the other side balances it? 40 x 2 = 80, and 80 ÷ 4 = 20 pounds. Trap: measuring from the end of the bar instead of from the pivot.

3. Mechanical: hydraulics. A small piston of 1 square inch pushes on fluid connected to a large piston of 10 square inches. The pressure is the same on both, so the large piston pushes with 10 times the force, but moves only a tenth as far. Trap: expecting to get extra force and extra distance at the same time.

4. Mechanical: gears. In a chain of gears, odd-numbered gears turn the same way as the first, and even-numbered gears turn the opposite way. Trap: losing count in a long chain. Number the gears as you go.

5. Math: decimals and fractions. 12.6 ÷ 0.3 = 126 ÷ 3 = 42. Move both decimal points the same number of places first. Trap: moving only one of them.

6. Math: none of these. Work the answer out yourself before you look at the choices. If your answer is not there, recheck once, then choose None of these. Trap: picking the closest number because it looks almost right.

How to prepare

1. Read NEIEP's study guide. It lists the three written parts and the topics to review in each, with example questions (NEIEP study guide).
2. Review the mechanical basics. Levers and fulcrums, pulleys, gears, ropes and ramps, and how pressure and area work in hydraulics.
3. Do math by hand. Fractions, mixed numbers, decimals, percentages and order of operations. Our mocks have no calculator, so practice without one.
4. Practice fill-the-blank reading. Read the whole passage once, then choose the word that fits both the sentence and the meaning around it.
5. Learn common tools. NEIEP lists general tool knowledge among the areas assessed, and the tool assessment counts toward the interview (NEIEP). Learn the names and uses of everyday hand and power tools.
6. Practice at a steady pace. Take full timed mocks so 100 questions in a row feels normal.
7. Watch for recruitments. Each local recruits every two years, so find out when yours opens and have your documents ready (NEIEP).

How scoring usually works

Pass or fail at 70 percent. NEIEP says the EIAT is scored pass or fail, with 70 percent correct as the minimum passing grade. You are told whether you passed, and applicants who pass are scheduled for an interview (NEIEP Help Center).

The interview and the ranked list. Interviews are run by two members of the Joint Apprenticeship Committee, one from the IUEC and one from the employer side. Everyone is asked the same questions and ranked with the same rubric, and the interview score is the average of the two interviewers' scores. Correct responses on the tool assessment count toward that interview score. Companies with open apprentice positions hire from the recruitment list in ranked order (NEIEP).

If you do not pass. Applicants who fail are not interviewed and are removed from that recruitment's pool, but may re-apply in the next or a later recruitment (NEIEP Help Center). There is a $25 testing fee for each applicant.

Our practice score is the number of our own questions you answered correctly, with a breakdown by part, so you can see where to focus. It is a practice score: it is not an EIAT score and does not predict whether you will pass or be selected.

Common mistakes on the elevator aptitude test

• Filling a blank from the sentence alone. The right word often depends on the sentence before or after. Read the whole passage.
• Mixing up force and distance. A longer lever arm or more rope sections need less force, but you move further. You never gain both.
• Thinking wide tanks have more pressure. Water pressure depends on depth, not on how much water there is.
• Losing count in gear chains. Number each gear and alternate the direction.
• Decimal slips. Count decimal places when multiplying, and move both points when dividing.
• Adding fractions straight across. 1/2 + 1/3 is not 2/5. Find a common denominator first.
• Skipping tool knowledge. It is easy to forget, but NEIEP lists it and the tool assessment counts toward the interview.

A one-week EIAT study plan

• Day 1: Take the free sample above. Note which part cost you the most.
• Day 2: Fractions, decimals and percentages by hand, 20 minutes, no calculator.
• Day 3: Levers, pulleys and gears. Practice until you can answer from the picture in seconds.
• Day 4: Hydraulics and pressure, plus order of operations.
• Day 5: Fill-the-blank reading passages and a review of common hand and power tools.
• Day 6: One full timed mock, all three parts in order.
• Day 7: Review every miss, then rest.