By JODIE TWEED
Staff Writer

Kalee Guderjohn said her heart is set on becoming a registered nurse so the Brainerd High School junior naturally gravitated toward the health care career booths at Thursday's Bridges Career Exploration Day event at the Brainerd Area Civic Center.

Nearly 2,000 students from 22 area high schools spent Thursday morning exploring more than 150 career options from about 250 area business professionals and educators from two colleges, Central Lakes College and Minnesota State and Technical College in Wadena.

The career fair had a strong emphasis on hands-on experiences to get students engaged in the various careers, so students got to use mechanical tools, examine a pig's lung, enter a smoke-filled "building" wearing firefighting equipment to rescue a mannequin and even get pink hair extensions from area hair stylists.

Guderjohn, who thought it was fun to listen to a dog's heartbeat at the veterinarian booth, said the health care professionals she spoke to gave her practical advice.

"They told us we shouldn't do it for the money, that you should be passionate about it," Guderjohn said she was told of nursing.

Abie Freyholtz, also a BHS junior, said she wants to become an ultrasound technician. The technician she spoke to told her to "go for it," which was encouraging to the teen. Another professional told her to not be afraid to consider starting her own business one day.

"I had fun," Freyholtz said of the career fair. "We did mock interviews and I'd never want to be a cop but he made it seem interesting."

The event was sponsored by the Bridges Career Academies and Workplace Connection, coordinated by the Brainerd Lakes Chamber, in an effort to help the next generation of employees to become better prepared when it's their time to enter the local work force.

The Bridges Career Academies is a sequence of courses, focused on high demand careers that students can take for college credit in their high schools. During the past three years, students and their families have saved more than $400,000 in college tuition by taking these courses.

The Workforce Connection serves as a bridge between schools and businesses, providing students with job shadowing opportunities, internships, career tours, speakers in the classroom and Thursday's Career Exploration Day.

Exhibitors were grouped into several career fields, ranging from agriculture to arts and communication, engineering and manufacturing and health science technology.

"The purpose was to give kids an eye-opening experience about the careers available to them in Minnesota," explained Pam O'Rourke, chair of the Bridges Leadership Council.

O'Rourke, speaking to business community members after the career fair, said business professionals in the community are trying to do a better job of guiding young people into high demand careers in the area. She said the focus needs to be the "middle majority," students who are not necessarily top in their class.

"We need to give students a broadened perspective of the work world," O'Rourke explained. "Job shadowing enables students, intrigued by something they learned today, (to) learn about your job and other similar jobs."

O'Rourke said the Workplace Connection has 927 job shadow placement opportunities in the community and thanked business community members for their willingness to step up and help.

"It's just an amazing opportunity for our students," said O'Rourke. ""Every time we've asked businesses to come to the table, you've opened your doors. You've been amazing."

Dan McElroy, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, attended Thursday's career exploration fair. He praised the partnership between the business and educational communities.

"This region really rocks," said McElroy. "This event is unprecedented. You should be very proud of yourself."

Lisa Paxton, chief executive officer for the Brainerd Lakes Chamber, said it takes about $25,000 to host this event, which will be at Central Lakes College next year. Mary Gottsch, Workplace Connection coordinator, also coordinated the career exploration fair.

Funding was provided in part by the following organizations: Blandin Foundation, Initiative Foundation, Carl Perkins Central Lakes Consortium Funding, SPEDCO Economic Development Foundation of the St. Paul Foundation, Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corp. and Crow Wing Power, with support from the Brainerd Lakes Chamber, CLC, Brainerd Area Jaycees, Mille Lacs Electric, Brainerd Rotary Club, Brainerd Sertoma Club, Brainerd Lakes Area Community Foundation and the 22 participating school districts.

JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.