They employ everything from carpenters to boilermakers to electricians.

And many more job opportunities are on the horizon.

Our Amber Schatz shows us why teachers are taking a field trip into the oil industry.

(NATS IN CLASSROOM) Normally leading the classroom... These teachers are here to learn all about the oil industry

(NATS Question) Bismarck High chemistry teacher Scott Weigum says it's clear that students shouldn't use the "when will I need to use this in real life?" excuse... when touring oil rigs and refineries

(Scott Weigum/Chemistry Teacher) 2:21 "If I had a dime for every time I heard that I could buy a lot of gasoline.... During a four day tour put on by the Petroleum Council, high school teachers get to see how math and science can land students tons of job opportunities in the industry..

Weigum says he sees the connection to problems they face in organic chemistry

3:46) "The cool thing is they can take what they would call junk compounds, put them together, make bigger compounds that are gasoline and that I can definitely take back to my kids

(7:23 Ron Day/Environmental Health and Safety Manager) "There's other opportunities other than just the chemistry, math and the physics, it is the building trades, the carpenters, welders pipe-fitters, boilermakers, instrument men, electricians, we need them all." Day says they need young workers now more than ever

He estimates 50 percent of the Refineries' workforce will retire within the next five years... leaving behind a slew of open positions

(10:59) "It's going to be soon that we're going to need a lot of new kids." A reason refinery workers hope educators take their knowledge of the industry... back to the classroom

(2:06 Weigum) "There are millions of dollars out in our state and we have a workforce that needs to fulfill a lot of those positions." Amber Schatz... KX News.

Yesterday, educators got to tour a drilling rig and the oil patch north of Dickinson. watch the video | save this article / add to your favorites list