COEUR d'ALENE - Sarah Lay placed her hands around the nail gun as the demonstrator instructed, and went to work.

Slow but steady, the 13-year-old connected board to board. In a few minutes, she was holding a clean wooden box she had assembled all by herself.

"I actually really like this," the Genesis Prep Academy student said as she looked over her creation. "I've never done anything like this before."

Hundreds of others her age were making similar discoveries.

Local middle and high school students are sampling a taste of blue collar work this week at the fourth annual Hard Hats, Hammers and Hot Dogs event, where equipment for construction, logging and a multitude of other industries are sprawled across the Kootenai County Fairgrounds.

Kids can test their skills at manipulating the shrieking, rumbling, beeping apparatuses, and judge whether it could be a lifelong occupation.

"We're exposing kids, getting them thinking about what you may want to do," said Wayne Brokaw, executive director of Associated General Contractors.

On Wednesday afternoon, Brokaw coached a young man to work a skid steer, which manipulates a large scooper to gobble up dirt and spill it on the ground.

The professional wasn't shocked that the teen picked it up instantly.

"These kids sit in front of computers with sticks, and come out here and in a matter of 10 seconds (understand it)," he said. "I tell adults, just get out of the way and let them figure it out."

Damian Williams jumped out of the machine with a smile.

The 16-year-old enjoys interactive, hands-on labor, he explained.

"It really interests me," the North Idaho Charter School student said. "I'm going to join the Navy, so I'll probably be doing something similar to this."

Andy Lincoln grinned after observing how to control a log processor, a colossal metal arm that can de-limb trees in seconds.

"I like it. I like the huge saw thing," the 13-year-old said.

Logging has its appeals, he added.

"I just like the outdoors," he said.

Gale Akers, owner of Akers Logging, said jobs are picking up in the logging industry. It's at least looking better now, he said, than in past years.

"Some kids I can tell have lot of interest, and that's good," Akers said.

In a fairgrounds building, North Idaho College students guided teenagers on how to use equipment like nail guns, welding equipment and electric saws.

It's a rare opportunity for kids to work closely with such complicated equipment, said Jennifer Henage, coordinator of Professional Technical Education at NIC.

"Since it's girls and boys, it gives girls a good opportunity to try what they usually wouldn't," Henage said.

Julianna Saltus, a Holy Family Catholic School student, said her favorite activity was welding.

"I've never done anything like this," she said of the event. "We have had a lot of field trips, and this one is the best."

She might pursue one of these industries, she added.

"I think maybe, if I kept coming to things like this, and it got me more and more interested," the 12-year-old said.

After wielding the control buttons of a Vactor vacuum truck - used for sucking materials in sewer lines - Seth Francka dubbed it as irrefutably awesome.

But the 12-year-old admitted he would rather be an author, or a cinematographer.

"It's just cool to be around these machines," he said. "You don't get to be around this very much."

The event, put on by Idaho Department of Labor and several sponsors, continues today at the fairgrounds.

Bob Holliday, principal of North Idaho Christian School, said this offers a head start for students who might not want to attend a 4-year college.

"This is an opportunity for young persons to say, 'This is what I want to do with my life,'" he said. "Some kids never even imagined running these kinds of machines."