Some of the booths at the Marshall High School career fair included hands-on activities. Logahn Conway watched as emergency medical responders Brooklyn Serreyn and Richard Serreyn demonstrated how to put a breathing tube in a dummy’s airway, before trying it himself.

MARSHALL — The students gathered in the Marshall High School gym on Thursday morning weren’t just learning about different career paths. They were also getting some hands-on experience in them.

MHS students Logahn Conway and Tiffany Davis watched as emergency medical responders Brooklyn and Richard Serreyn demonstrated putting a breathing tube into a dummy’s airway.

“Intubation is a very important skill we do as paramedics,” Richard Serreyn explained to students. After the demonstration, Conway tried intubating the dummy.

“I’m interested in EMS stuff,” he said.

Industries ranging from health care to education, retail and technology were all present at MHS’s second annual career fair. The fair had grown since its inaugural year, said Shanda Walker, community engagement coordinator for Marshall Public Schools.

“We had about twice as many vendors this year,” Walker said. “For sure, people are more aware of it.”

More than 40 booths featuring different area employers were set up around the gym, arranged by clusters of similar industries.

High school students in grades 9-12 all got a chance to check out the event on Thursday. Walker said organizers tried to set up the career fair to be relevant to younger visitors, as well as students making plans for after graduation.

“One thing that we asked the vendors is, not only to talk about careers, but summer jobs,” she said.

Hands-on displays were a feature at several booths. In different parts of the gym, students tried on some of the equipment used by electrical workers, or watched the process for strength-testing samples of concrete.

The machine used for testing concrete cylinders “gets a lot of attention,” said Jeff Madsen, one of the Minnesota Department of Transportation employees at the career fair.

Some students said they came to the fair with an idea of the kind of career they’d like to have. Jasmine Mortland said she was mainly interested in the more technology-related booths.

“It’s interesting, seeing the different job opportunities that are out there, and the different career pathways to get there,” she said.

MHS student Gwen Roberts said she was “just testing things out” at the career fair. But getting that chance was one of the good things about the event, she said.

“I think a lot of people who come in here don’t know what they want to do,” Roberts said. The career fair gives you an idea of different options, she said.

“I think it’s a really good experience and opportunity,” Conway said.