JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Nearly 1,000 students from 27 different schools in Region VI were in Jamestown Thursday to take in the bi-annual Health, Trade, and Technology Fair.

The fair is held every two years in Jamestown and showcases different career opportunities for students who may not want to pursue a four year degree or higher education past high school.

Several organizations form the Region VI Transition Team, which hosts the event. Danica Chaput with Jamestown Job Service says most vendors and two year schools brought hands on demonstrations to the event.

Vendors include two-year colleges, skilled training centers, agencies who support career development, and businesses that employee positions requiring two years or less of post secondary training/education.

One such vendor was Lake Region State College in Devils Lake. With recently announced growth in the wind energy field expected to increase by 108% over the next 10 years, Wind Energy Technician Jay Johnson says they were showing kids what it’s like to work on wind turbines with just two years of schooling.

“We have a course that focuses on wind power in the first year and then students can get involved right away,” Johnson stated. “They can then wrap up the education online so they can work while finishing their certification.”

A North Dakota Wind Energy Technicians average annual salary is around $60,110.

The event also brought in speaker Brooks Harper from South Carolina. Harper’s speech focuses on today’s choices and tomorrow’s options.

“We help students ‘GET IT’ (bringing some students back down to earth while lifting other students from it) providing greater understanding of how education and personal development play key roles in the formula for their success; increasing self-worth, intrinsic motivation and performance,” his website states.

Chaput says the nearly 1,000 student count doesn’t include all the instructors and homeschooled kids who also attended the event.