Local 68 Prep is a free, interactive practice test for the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 68 apprenticeship entrance exam in New Jersey. It is a gift to anyone preparing for the apprenticeship — no signup, no account, and no cost.
The Local 68 entrance exam is a general aptitude test, not a technical trade-knowledge test. You do not need prior HVAC or heavy-equipment experience to pass it. It measures your raw ability to learn the trade across three areas:
Fractions and decimals, converting between mixed units such as feet and inches or pounds and tons, area and volume calculations, ratios and scale drawings, proportions and work-rate problems, and straight-time and overtime wage calculations. A calculator is often not permitted, so mental and on-paper math matters.
How simple machines behave: gears, levers, pulleys, hydraulics, and belt drives. Core principles include that speed is inversely proportional to size in gears and pulleys, that mechanical advantage trades force for distance, and that Pascal's Law governs hydraulic force in heavy equipment.
Reading safety documents, work procedures, and technical passages, then answering questions based only on the information given. The most common mistake is answering from outside trade knowledge instead of strictly from the passage.
Practice all three areas under timed conditions. Drill fraction-to-decimal conversions until they are automatic (1/8 = 0.125, 3/8 = 0.375, 5/8 = 0.625, 7/8 = 0.875). Learn the gear and pulley speed rules. Practice reading comprehension by answering only from the text. This tool provides timed practice questions in each category with step-by-step explanations after every answer, plus a performance breakdown that highlights your weak areas.
Yes. It is completely free with no signup and no cost, shared as a public resource.
No. It is an aptitude test measuring your ability to learn the trade, not your existing technical knowledge.
Fractions, decimals, unit conversion, area and volume, ratios, proportions, and wage calculations.
Created and shared by Michael Einwechter as a free resource for the trades community.
Sponsored by michaeleinwechter.com.