Youth T4 Summit came to Rough Rider Center and Bakken Area Skills Center
The T4 Summit in Watford City hosted nearly 1,200 area middle and high school students at the Rough Rider Center and the Bakken Area Skills Center on April 30 - May 1, 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 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 Watford City was coordinated by the planning committee of the T4 team and the staff from Watford City Public Schools, the Bakken Area Skills Center, the Rough Rider Center, McKenzie County Economic Development, the City of Watford City, and volunteers.
Other schools that participated in this two-day event include Fairview High School, Trenton’s Eight Mile Middle and High Schools, Watford City Public Schools, Johnson Corners Christian Academy, Williston Middle Schools, and Billings County School District. The first day welcomed high school students, and the second day hosted middle school students from grades 6-8.
Schedule for both days
8:45 a.m. Opening Session: Watford City High School Auditorium
Location: 2209 Wolves Den Parkway, Watford City, ND
• Welcoming remarks by Dr. Steve Holen, Superintendent, McKenzie County School District, and Dr. Wayne Heckaman, Director, Bakken Area Skills Center
• Opening General Session Presentation “Aligning Community, Schools and Industry” by Pat Bertagnoli, Executive Director, Job Service North Dakota
• “What is T4?” - Kent Ellis, T4 Director
• “Let’s Begin” - Jim Green, High School Principal, Watford City Public Schools, and Scott Wisness, Assistant Director, Bakken Area Skills Center
10:00 a.m. Sessions Begin
11:35 a.m. General Session Panel/Lunch
12:40 p.m. Sessions Begin
2:10 p.m. End of T4 Summit
P.O. BOX 7233
BISMARCK, ND 58507
701.557.3972
INFO@NDPETROLEUMFOUNDATION.ORG
WWW.NDPETROLEUMFOUNDATION.ORG
Students will broke out into different sessions throughout the day, utilizing classrooms in the Convention Hall, Arena, and Field House of the Rough Rider Center, in addition to sessions being located at the Bakken Area Skills Center.
Facilitators leading the sessions include oil and natural gas companies such as ExxonMobil Corporation, ConocoPhillips, Hess Corporation, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, ONEOK Rockies Midsream, Creedence Energy Services, Mid-Con G, and Basin Safety Consulting Corporation. Other businesses offered sessions including Northern Border and Basin Pipelines, McKenzie Electric Cooperative, McKenzie County Emergency Management, and RTC.
Organizations that participated in leading sessions include the North Dakota Petroleum Foundation, Lignite Energy Council, Bismarck Public Schools Career Academy & Technical Center, UND Energy & Environmental Research Center, North Dakota Department of Transportation, Bismarck State College, North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance, and Alexander Public School.
Industry career exploration is important because these experiences and opportunities can improve academic performance and young people’s attitudes about their future. This can provide motivation for 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 their 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.
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