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DEVILS LAKE, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The T4 Summit in Devils Lake will host over 1,000 area middle school and high school students on January 22 and 23, 2025.  T4 stands for “Tools, Trades, Torque, and Tech”, which is similar to the concept of “STEM” which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The event is sponsored by the North Dakota Petroleum Foundation.
The T4 Summit allows young people to participate in industry career exploration with hands-on activities that can help them learn what careers are available in North Dakota.  Students are introduced to skills needed in local industries, the training options and workforce needs of local employers, and networking opportunities with industry leaders and technicians.
The T4 Summit in Devils Lake is coordinated by the planning committee of the T4 team and many of the staff from Lake Region State College, North Dakota Army National Guard, Camp Grafton, Devils Lake High School, Devils Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, Construction Engineers, and other volunteers.  Other communities participating in this two-day event include the schools from Glenfield, Lakota, Oberon, Minnewauken, Starkweather, and Cando.
Schedule for both days –  atboth Lake Region State College and ND Army National Guard- Camp Grafton Training Centersimultaneously
8:45 a.m.                          Opening Session
                                           Location:             Lake Region State College, 1801 College Drive N, Devils Lake, ND
  • “Aligning Community, Schools, and Industry” Guest Speaker, Pat Bertagnoli, Executive Director, Job Service North Dakota
  • “What is T4?” – Ann Pollert, Devils Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
  • “Let’s Begin” – Zach Gadbery, Enrollment Services Specialist, Lake Region State College
                                           Location:             Camp Grafton Training Center, 4417 Highway 20, Devils Lake, ND
  • Welcoming remarks and “What is T4?” — Kent Ellis, T4 Director
  • North Dakota Army National Guard Presentation by Guest Speaker, SSG Derek Elverud
  • “Let’s Begin” – SGT Ty Fountain
10 a.m.                             Sessions Begin
11:30 a.m.                       Lunch
2 p.m.                               End of T4 Summit
Students will break out into different sessions throughout the day utilizing the Lake Region State College main building, the Robert Fawcett Auditorium, Bergstrom Technical Center, and the Hofstad Ag Center.  Multiple buildings at the Camp Grafton Training Center will host student sessions, including the RTI Theatre and Armory Theatre.
Facilitators leading the sessions include companies who are members of the North Dakota Petroleum Council such as Construction Engineers, KLJ Engineering, and Butler Machinery.  Local organizations and businesses facilitating hands-on sessions include the North Dakota Army National Guard, Devils Lake Police Department, Sioux Manufacturing Corporation, North Dakota Telephone Cooperative, and Devils Lake Cars.
Educational organizations participating in leading sessions include Lake Region State College, Bismarck Public Schools, and UND Energy and Environmental Research Center.
Industry career exploration is important because these experiences and opportunities can improve academic performance and young people’s attitudes about their future.  This can motivate students to learn more about local career possibilities.  One of the goals of the T4 Summit is to improve students’ knowledge of career options, encouraging them to develop and work toward goals during their critical years.  Once students know what preparation is needed for specific industry careers, participants will become better able to set realistic goals for themselves and pursue them.  Students participating in industry career exploration programs are more likely to enroll in career, technology, and academy courses based on future goals.  Connecting students to industry career exploration at an earlier age is imperative to raising awareness of and hopefully interest in the area’s career, internship, and apprenticeship options available today and in the future.
For more information about the T4 Summit, visit: https://ndpetroleumfoundation.org/programs/t4/