More than 50 industries and businesses had the opportunity to visit with potential employees and explain some of the career fields they offer during Jackson County Industrial Development Corp.’s Career Exploration Day.

Thursday’s event at Seymour High School was an eye-opener for some of the students in attendance, including Brownstown Central High School senior Bailey Hughes.

“These companies are good experiences that I didn’t even know were in town, and there are a lot of nice volunteer opportunities that look good on résumés even if it isn’t directly in your field,” Hughes said.

Classmate Matthew Stuckwisch said although he already has chosen a career in welding, he learned more about some of the other local career possibilities during the fair.

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“It really opens up a community and shows what is available outside the community but also closer to home,” he said.

Another Brownstown senior, Hannah Hughes, said she benefited from attending the event.

“It has helped me branch out and find out there are more to these jobs than you might originally think,” she said.

Jackie Hill, workforce director for JCIDC, said the event had something to offer every student.

“Whether they are going into the workforce, postsecondary (education) or are looking for a part-time job, they can find all that here,” she said.

The event started as Industry Possibility and Opportunity Day, or IPOD Day, a dozen years ago and was for high school students, and Real World Career Day was for eighth-graders. This year, the two events were combined into one.

During the fair, students also had a chance to talk to representatives from Ivy Tech Community College and industries such as Aisin USA Manufacturing Inc., the county’s largest employer with about 2,000 workers. JCB also was on hand along with smaller businesses like Brownstown Veterinary Clinic.

Each student was given an icebreaker question to ask at each booth in exchange for a stamp, and many of the older students brought along résumés and business cards to help with the job-search process.

Some booths featured a hands-on activity along with offering promotional items.

“I would say the important thing for students looking for a job through this fair is to come prepared and to ask the right questions but to keep an open mind because you might have a negative view of some careers that are great careers,” Hill said.

She said many students come prepared looking for a job in one field, but at the event, they learn about other careers they may not have been considering.

Hill said many of the jobs that might seem limited, including manufacturing, are actually broader than they appear, as there are often nonproduction positions available, including human resources, administration, marketing and others.

“Some of the labor jobs out here have starting pays much higher than even college graduate levels, depending on the field, and they have room for advancement, especially to students with things like manufacturing experience through high school classes,” Hill said.

Beyond getting a chance to see and learn about some of the industries and businesses in the area, eighth-graders were given a chance to see the school and the pregraduation opportunities available.

“The benefit to the eighth-graders is the chance to see our other programs, things like business classes available or to check out things like Owl Manufacturing, a series of manufacturing-based classes here at Seymour (High School),” Hill said.

Kelley Rice, employee relations administrator for JCB, said she felt like a majority of the students understood the purpose of the event and came ready.

“The kids have had really good questions beyond the ones they are given and are really interested in what we have to offer,” she said. “They ask things like what type of degrees or education are needed, what is a typical salary, things like that.”

Lori Carpenter, human resources representative with Aisin USA Manufacturing Inc., said the goal for companies is to gain employees.

“The job market is really good right now, and so us getting the word out to potential new employees, especially right out of high school, is a great opportunity,” she said.