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Driving to work

Careers on Wheels puts middle school students in the driver’s seat and headed for their future

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen Gunderson Funeral Home funeral director Janet Hubbell serves a group of Fort Dodge Middle School students hot cocoa Thursday morning during the annual Careers on Wheels event on the Iowa Central Community College East Campus.

As a few snow flurries fell from the sky Thursday morning, a group of Fort Dodge Middle School students huddled in front of the blade of an Iowa Department of Transportation plow truck at the annual Careers on Wheels Day held on the Iowa Central Community College East Campus.

Craig Davis, a highway technician associate with the Iowa Department of Transportation, was hoping that a few light flurries was all it would be.

“I’m ready for the season to be over,” he said.

While lining up for a photo in front of the plow blade was popular with the students, the vibrating device to dislodge salt, the camera that lets the driver see behind him, as well as other dozens of controls, were also high on the list.

“The controls and the camera are their favorite,” Davis said.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen A group of Fort Dodge Middle School fifth-graders try the underside of an Iowa Department of Transportation plow truck blade on for size Thursday morning during the annual Careers on Wheels day on the Iowa Central Community College East Campus. Yes, a few fluries of snow did fall.

Another popular work vehicle at the Careers on Wheels day was the funeral coach owned by Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Service.

Funeral Director Janet Hubbell talked about her job.

“I get to help people on the saddest day of their life,” she said.

She also told the students about how they’re able to use technology to make slide shows and videos of the deceased to show during services and visitations. Her job also requires plenty of time in school.

“I went to college for four years and then two years of mortuary science,” she said.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen Master Sgt. Anthony Hook, with the 133rd Test Squadron of the Iowa Air National Guard, shows a group of Fort Dodge Middle School the cab of a 5 Ton truck Thursday morning during the annual Careers on Wheels event on the Iowa Central Community College East Campus.

The hearse proved popular for another reason besides the students’ curiosity: Hubbell had brought along several large containers filled with hot cocoa.

The many vehicles at the event represented a wide variety of career choices, each with its own specialized gear and equipment. Everything from a stretch limo Hummer to a large construction crane filled the lot.

There were even two that stretched the definition of “on wheels” a bit.

The UnityPoint Health — Life Flight air ambulance, which flew in, and a large pontoon boat from Misty Harbor which arrived on a trailer, did in all fairness, did have wheels.

Misty Harbor Vice President Tom Christy spoke to the students as they got to sit in the boat’s seats — after boarding the craft via ladder.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen Crews from T'n'T Crane and Rigging talk to a group of students Thursday morning in front of one of the taller work vehicles at the annual Careers on Wheels events on the Iowa Central Community College East Campus.

The students had lots of questions.

“They want to know how much it costs and how fast it goes,” he said.

It was the company’s first time at the annual event.

“I love it,” Christy said.

He shared with the students how the boats are made and what kind of job skills are required to manufacture them. Christy said getting out into the community is among the goals of the company.

“We want to be more involved in the community,” he said. “That begins with youth, whether they end up buying one or working for us.”

Zach Midtling, 11, had an easy time selecting a favorite work vehicle.

“The limo,” he said. “Because it entertains you.”

He’s considering several career choices, at least one of which was represented.

“Maybe a teacher,” he said. “Or a police officer.”

There were plenty of law enforcement careers represented. The Fort Dodge Police Department had school resource officers Joelyn Johnson and Cody Harris on hand, as did several other agencies.

There were also paramedics from UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center and the Fort Dodge Fire Department

Firefighter Jason Reynolds showed the students a pick axe and a Halligan tool, both of which are used to gain entry into a building during an emergency.

“I don’t need your keys,” he said. “These are my keys. We get paid to smash stuff.”

Students from area schools also got to attend the learning event.

David Varland, 12, and Alex Gaspar, 12, are both sixth-graders at Robert Blue Middle School in Eagle Grove.

Varland said he enjoyed the Decker Truck Line Inc. semitrailer and Gaspar enjoyed the nautical experience in the Misty Harbor boat.

But Varland didn’t find any vehicles at the event that matched his career choice.

“I was hoping to talk to a surgeon,” he said. “That’s my dream job.”

Gaspar would get a chance to explore a vehicle matching his current career choice.

“I want to talk to a police officer,” he said.

As the day wore on, the temperature rose and the chance of more snow flurries decreased to almost nothing, giving Davis his wish that the plowing season could be over.

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