The Northern Rural Training & Employment Consortium (NoRTEC) headquartered in Chico, California, administers Workforce Investment Act programs in eleven Northern California counties. Established in 1983, NoRTEC is led by a Governing Board and Workforce Investment Board (WIB) that oversee a broad range of programs and initiatives. NoRTEC is a special district formed through a Joint Powers Agreement and has established contracts with nonprofit agencies in eleven counties to ensure job seekers and businesses have access to a comprehensive array of job training and employment services.

The NoRTEC region has a population of 724,620 and a geographic area that covers more than 31,500 square miles; NoRTEC has 20% of the land area and 2% of the population in California. Population density ranges from less than 3 people per square mile in Modoc County to 124 people per square mile in Butte County. It’s an 850 mile round trip from the Loyalton One Stop center in Sierra County to the Crescent City center in Del Norte County. NoRTEC knows that small businesses are an integral part of the California economy, comprising more than 99% of all businesses in the state and these companies employ 95% of all individuals in the region’s private sector businesses with fewer than 10 people.

NoRTEC believes a healthy business community creates economic vitality and is dedicated to strengthening and supporting area businesses in order to create jobs and encourage economic prosperity. In recognition of this pioneering approach, NoRTEC was singled out to receive the National Theodore E. Small Workforce Partnership Award for Excellence in Advancement of a Competitive American Workforce. NoRTEC was also selected as a mentor in the US Department of Labor’s National Business Learning Partnership, an initiative that assists WIBs throughout the nation with implementing demand-driven solutions. NoRTEC is working hard to become a leader in California’s renewable energy sector, create job opportunities, transform the North State economy and put people to work.