PG&E Industrial Skills Test (IST) Prep 2026: Practice Tests & Study Guide

No. You're only permitted to use a pen or pencil and scratch paper during the test.

You can retake the Industrial Skills Test after a waiting period. Per PG&E's official testing program, every retake, your second attempt, third, and any attempt after that, requires a wait of at least 90 calendar days from your previous attempt.

Once you're invited, you'll receive an email the Monday morning of your scheduled test date with instructions, a link to the test, and your test key. You'll have 5 calendar days from that email to complete the IST online, and the test key expires after 5 calendar days and cannot be extended.

PG&E gives you 30 minutes for Reading Comprehension, 30 minutes for Working with Numbers, Charts, and Graphs, and 20 minutes for Mechanical Principles, one hour and 20 minutes total, in a single sitting. A PDF lets you work at your own pace, which is exactly what the real test won't allow. A timed simulation is the only way to practice moving through all three sections back to back at that pace, so the pressure isn't a surprise on test day.

AI-generated questions aren't checked against PG&E's actual test format or validated for accuracy, so the difficulty, structure, and even the answers can be wrong without you knowing it. Our PrepPack™ is built to match the confirmed structure of PG&E's real IST, the same three sections, the same time limits, and the same question types used in Reading Comprehension, Tables and Graphs, and Mechanical Principles, so what you practice is what you'll actually see.

None of the three sections test advanced material, the reading passages, table analysis, and mechanical concepts are all straightforward on their own. What makes the IST hard is doing all three back to back in one hour and 20 minutes, with no calculator allowed. Most candidates who struggle aren't stuck on the content, they run out of time moving between sections.

The IST is taken entirely online, so there's no test center to travel to. You'll complete all three sections, Reading Comprehension, Working with Numbers, Charts, and Graphs, and Mechanical Principles, in one sitting within your 5-day window. Have scratch paper and a pen or pencil ready since no calculator is allowed, and make sure you're somewhere quiet with a stable connection before you start, the test key can't be reissued if something interrupts you partway through.

PG&E hasn't published a specific passing score or percentage for the IST. The test has been professionally validated to ensure it's job-related, and your results are used alongside the rest of your application to assess your fit for technical and industrial positions. Rather than aiming for an exact number, focus on accuracy and pace across all three sections.

They're both prerequisite tests PG&E uses to screen applicants for physical and technical positions, but they measure different things. The IST covers reading comprehension, working with numbers, charts, and graphs, and mechanical principles, while the PTB covers numerical ability and space visualization. Some roles require only one, but certain positions, including some apprentice-track roles, require candidates to qualify on both before they can even apply or interview. If your role requires both, our 3-month Premium plan includes the PTB PrepPack at no extra cost.

After completing your payment, you will receive two emails: a payment receipt and a login link with your account details. Once you log in and reset your password, you will have instant, unlimited access to your PrepPack.

You can start practicing immediately with tailored questions and detailed explanations, tracking your performance along the way. Your progress is saved, allowing you to revisit previous attempts as many times as you like. If you need more time, you can extend your subscription by contacting c.serv@jobtestprep.com.

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