Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Around 1700 area high school students descended on the campus of Lincoln Land Community College’s for the third annual Ag & Workforce Careers Expo/AIEC Lineworker’s Safety Rodeo Thursday morning.

Dozens of buses brought the kids to meet with around 100 employers anxious to talk to young people about careers in their industries.

Organizer, Nancy Sweet, with LLCC says the event keeps growing in popularity with students and businesses. The colorful tents set up in a campus parking lot lent a carnival like atmosphere to the proceedings.

In conjunction with the Expo, the Linemans Safety Rodeo drew those thinking about a career in the sometime dangerous world of utility line work and just from folks who want to see some exciting events like timed pole climbing, wire hanging and even rescuing a dummy stranded atop a thirty-foot pole.

Everyone involved spoke about the brotherhood, the sense of accomplishment and the physical and mental challenges as reasons they love their chosen profession.