Career fair gets NDSU healthcare students ready for the workforce

"It's very exciting for graduation that we need to get out there right away and be a help of others and help out in our hospitals."

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — North Dakota State University students looking for a career in healthcare had the opportunity to make connections at the Fargodome.

With the COVID-19 pandemic placing a major strain on the healthcare system, students looking to get into a medical profession are being highly sought after by employers.

“In healthcare right now there’s really a high need in all areas. We’re in need of health professionals in all areas, whether that’s radiology, laboratory, pharmacy, nursing, everyone of those categories is really in high demand right now,” U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Lt. Cmdr. Dena Smith said.

For Heather and Olivia they say the pandemic has only helped solidify their decision to go into nursing.

“I always knew that nursing was important, there’s always a need for nurses. I think the pandemic really brought that out and really brought that into the light and it makes me really excited to be a nurse and be able to help out this great need that we’ve got and also have a really great career,” NDSU student Hannah Selken said.

“It’s very exciting for graduation that we need to get out there right away and be a help of others and help out in our hospitals,” NDSU student Olivia Skudlarek said.

While nursing is a popular choice among many healthcare majors, one Essentia health employee encourages students to consider some overlooked professions.

“There is a really big shortage within the pharmacy technician field. The pharmacy technician field within North Dakota is very advanced. A pharmacy technician in North Dakota will work alongside a pharmacist and we really need continued support. We work on that care team and really are the medication experts. Without medications we’re not always getting better within a lot of our disease we’re seeing in the hospitals right now,” Essentia Health Pharmacy Operations Senior Manager Maari Loy said.