Growing Talent for Agriculture and Industry

Earn While
You Learn.

A paid, state-registered apprenticeship taking Tehama County high school students from the classroom into skilled careers in agriculture, manufacturing, and natural-resource trades, with pay from the first day and no student debt. The next application window is expected in Spring 2027.

Join the Interest List Partner as an Employer

Why It Matters

A Real Job. A Real Credential.
A Real Future.

The opportunity is already here. Industrial Maintenance Technicians keep the mills, food processors, and manufacturers of the North State running, and local employers are ready to train the next generation starting in high school. This program builds the connections and skills that help young people step into work that already exists in Tehama County. The first apprentices are already on the job at Bell-Carter Foods, PJ Helicopters, Crain Walnut Shelling, and Red Bluff High School District.

Paid On-the-Job Learning

Apprentices earn a progressive wage while logging supervised hours with a local employer and a dedicated mentor.

State-Registered Credential

Complete the program with a nationally recognized journey-level pathway credential registered with the State of California.

High-Wage Career Path

Industrial Maintenance Technicians in Northern California typically earn $55,000–$85,000+ as they reach journey level.

Local Mentors & Employers

Learn from experienced technicians at Tehama County employers who are invested in growing local talent.

Proud Host Employers

SEC.02 // THE PATHWAY

Five stations. One machine.

Keep scrolling. The gear indexes through every step of the program, from first application to journey-level credential.

  1. 01

    Apply

    Junior or senior at Red Bluff, Corning, or Los Molinos High School. Ten-minute application plus a current resume. No work experience required.

  2. 02

    Match & Sign

    Interview with host employers, get paired with a journey-level mentor, and sign the apprenticeship agreement.

  3. 03

    Foundations

    Safety certification and mechanical fundamentals, paid from the first hour on the floor.

  4. 04

    Skills & Raises

    Electrical, controls, and fluid power blocks. Every competency signed off moves your wage up a step.

  5. 05

    Journey Level

    2,000 hours + 288 hours of instruction = a state-registered credential and a $55–85K career.

The Pilot at a Glance

Funded by the California Jobs First Catalyst Grant and led by the Job Training Center on behalf of the Tehama County CTE Coalition.

4apprentices already placed in the first cohort
2,000on-the-job training hours per apprentice
$55–85Ktypical journey-level earnings range
100%of toolkit materials shared open-source

What You Get

Four things most jobs can't offer

From day one

A real paycheck

Apprentices start at $16.90/hour, the California minimum wage, with raises earned by demonstrated skill rather than time served. You are earning and building a work history from your first shift on the floor.

One-on-one

A personal mentor

A journey-level technician who teaches you their craft, signs off your competencies, and vouches for you in the industry. That relationship follows you through the rest of your career.

Recognized anywhere

A state credential

Registered apprenticeship completion is recorded with the State of California and respected by employers nationwide. It travels with you for the rest of your career.

No debt attached

A head start on life

Graduate with real work experience, industry credentials, local connections, and a head start on your career. Specialist and leadership tracks reach $90K+ from here.

For the Region

A Replicable Model for Rural Northern California

This pilot is bigger than eight apprentices. Everything we build, from training plans and employer onboarding kits to HR templates and outreach materials, is being packaged into an open-source Youth Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning Toolkit so any rural community can launch its own program without starting from scratch.

Explore the Toolkit

Get Involved

Two Ways to Join

Students: juniors and seniors at Red Bluff, Corning, or Los Molinos with trades coursework (ag mechanics, welding, manufacturing, automotive, or construction), this is your on-ramp into a skilled career.

Employers: Host an apprentice, shape your future workforce, and get structured support from the program team every step of the way.

Join the Interest List Employer Interest

Life in the Program

See It in Action

Real Tehama County students, shops, and worksites. Photography courtesy of the Tehama County CTE Coalition.

Three Los Molinos culinary arts students taste-test a dish together
The next generation of skilled workers
A mentor and student work together beneath a truck on a lift
One-on-one mentorship
A student runs a CNC program from a shop computer
Real skills, real confidence

Our Partners

Built by a County-Wide Collaboration

Schools, employers, workforce partners, and community organizations came together through the Tehama County CTE Coalition to build something none of them could have built alone: stronger career pathways from high school into high-wage, high-demand industries.

Job Training Center Tehama County CTE Coalition Tehama County Department of Education Expect More Tehama Local Industry Employers California Jobs First