Staff photo by Fritz Busch Big Ideas Program Coordinator Andrew Kish, left, gives some safety harness operation pointers to New Ulm Middle School students Khloe Cariveau, left, and Claire Braun at the 18th Annual New Ulm Area Career Expo at the New Ulm Civic Center Wednesday.

NEW ULM — Nearly 800 eighth-graders and sophomores from New Ulm and five area schools got interactive, hands-on experiences learning about a wide variety of career opportunities at the 18th Annual New Ulm Area Career Expo at the New Ulm Civic Center Wednesday.

Fifty vendors answered questions about education, skills, wages and opportunities considered crucial for introducing students to potential careers before they enter the workforce or pursue further education.

Interactive, hands-on elements included 3-D/sensory (virtual reality) models, simulators, small machinery, and games.

Big Ideas Inc., a New Ulm-based, non-profit organization with mobile learning labs, virtual reality gear and other equipment for students to learn about skilled trades occupations.

Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s student Anna Pollard used virtual reality gear to repair a broken heating pipe.

“It was realistic. A really cool experience. I’m interested in engineering and medicine,” she said.

Outside the New Ulm Civic Center, New Ulm Middle School students Khloe Cariveau and Claire Braun learned how to operate a safety harness at the back of a large trailer from Big Ideas Program Coordinator Andrew Kish.

Inside the trailer, Big Ideas equipment included a welding and crane operator simulators and a paint booth.

Mathiowetz Construction brought a CAT simulator so students could learn how to operate an excavator and bulldozer.

“The simulator is very popular at career fairs. We also use to to train our staff during the winter months,” said Mathiowetz Construction Safety Director Scott Surprenant.

Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Engineering Specialist Bailey Wolff-Gerdts said an interactive topography map is a popular and important part of the MnDOT outreach program.

“We like to bring this to schools to demonstrate design and construction phases. The hands-on aspect of it is more interesting than Powerpoint and we can use to to reach out to more age groups,” she said.

Hand-outs at the MnDOT table included the need for civil engineers who are creative, like collaborating with others, are curious and persistent, want to make a difference, understand physics and math and like solving problems.

Other handouts featured $2,500 scholarships for students pursuing degrees in high-demand careers. Visit Minn.State.edu/wds for more information.

Minnesota Valley Funeral Home Director and New Ulm City Councilor Eric Warmka said networking was an effective tool to advance his career.

“I try to be a business leader, a civic-minded human being. When I was a sophomore, being a funeral director was the last thing I would do for a job. All the aptitude tests I took said I should be a high school guidance counselor, a youth minister or a dentist,” he said.

“If I didn’t network with people, I would never have thought of becoming a funeral director. I worked at Home Depot. A gentleman came to me almost daily and asked for supplies. I helped him and was friendly to him. He offered me a job on the spot as a maintenance man at the funeral home he operated. It led me to the job I have today,” said Warmka.

He urged students to always keep their options open and consider networking with people one of the most important things they will do.