Middle school students from Fort Dodge and Eagle Grove found that out Thursday during the annual Careers on Wheels event on the Iowa Central Community College East Campus. They learned about a variety of careers, and the vehicles used for them.

Bemrich Electric & Telephone electrician Justin Keigher looked over their bending “work,” which looked amazingly like a big piece of galvanized spaghetti.

“That’s what happens to conduit when you let fifth-graders bend it,” he said, admiring the many odd angles.

Keigher was enjoying the day.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Fort Dodge Middle School fifth-grade students Jaelah Ewing, 10, at left, Emma Estlund, 11 check out the comfortable but dusty seating available in the bucket of a wheel loader as they visit the Ziegler Cat station during the annual Careers on Wheels Day on the Iowa Central Community College East Campus. Taevon Feely, 11, at right, prefered to stand.

“It’s been fun,” he said. “It’s very rewarding to show the different things we do.”

He said the students had a good selection of questions for him. One of them was rebutted by a teacher.

“One of the kids asked me what I make per year,” he said. “The teacher said that’s like asking a woman what she weighs.”

So how hard is it to bend a piece of conduit?

Sam Davidson, 11, a fifth-grade student, found it a medium task.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Tegan Engman, 11, a fifth-grade student at Fort Dodge Middle School, tries bending a piece of electrical conduit during the annual Careers on Wheels Day on the Iowa Central Community College East Campus. Bemrich Electric & Telephobe Inc., electrician Justin Keigher, at left, talked to the students about his work and career.

“It wasn’t hard and it wasn’t easy,” he said. “It was in between. It was alright.”

In addition to bending conduit, they also got to cut a piece of cable.

It was soft as butter for Hunter Newman, 10, also a fifth-grade student.

“It wasn’t that hard,” he said.

Ziegler Cat, of Fort Dodge, brought several pieces of heavy equipment, including a wheel loader that sales associate Jason Peterson was showing the students.

While there are plenty of jobs operating heavy equipment, his company sells and services it. Careers there involve not just mechanical work, but a lot of computer work and documentation during the repair process.

“Diesel mechanics are in high demand,” he said.

It’s also a well-paying profession that the student can enter after two years of trade school.

“It’s a two-year degree,” he said.

The students were really enjoying the big machine.

“The bucket fascinates them,” Peterson said as he watched the students. “So does the size of the tires. It’s a great big jungle gym.”

The annual event is hosted by Iowa Central.

Megan Kruse, work-based learning coordinator for Iowa Central, said about 400 students from Fort Dodge and Eagle Grove attended this year. About 30 businesses were able to attend.

Students from the Eagle Grove School to Work Program helped lead groups of students.

Fort Dodge Police School Resource Officer Joelyn Johnson was on hand with a patrol car. She talked to the students about how that vehicle serves as a rolling office.

Madelyn Davis, 10, a fifth-grader, got to try out the drivers seat.

“It was actually kind of scary,” Davis said. “I’ve never been in a police car. I felt really safe because Officer Johnson was standing by me.”

The Webster County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa State Patrol were also on hand to let the students know about careers in law enforcement.

The Fort Dodge Fire Department brought one of its ambulances.

Tayven Altman, 11, a fifth-grader, took a seat on the patient gurney and while wearing the cool sunglasses each student got in their gift bag, calmly surveyed the landscape.

He’s been in a “rig” before.

“I’ve been in it once in fourth grade,” Altman said.

He had particularly enjoyed seeing the UnityPoint Health — LifeFlight air ambulance that had been on hand earlier in the day. It changed his career path.

“I wanted to be a basketball player,” he said. “But I’d want to do the LifeFlight now.”