As a student, Patricia Leyk came across a career booth while eating lunch — an encounter that started her on a career path that has allowed her to use her interests and grow.

"I liked biology. I liked chemistry. This was something I was meant to do," Leyk said of medical laboratory technician careers. "They had somebody there from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities for this degree, and I was like, 'Well, that fits.' So I came out with a skill set ready to give me a job."

Leyk is now laboratory supervisor at St. Cloud Medial Group, where she supervises about two dozen employees in labs at four sites.

Medical laboratory technicians perform routine medial laboratory tests to help doctors, nurses and physician's assistants identify illnesses and treat patients. Becoming an MLT requires a two-year degree. Medical technologists, also called medical laboratory scientists, require a four-year degree.

Lab technicians might not be one of the first careers people think of when considering the medical field because although many patients require lab testing services, patients often do not see inside the lab.

"Most of us have found these careers by accident," Leyk admitted. "But if you're interested in science and biology, it's a great career to go into, and there's some exciting opportunities as technology comes into it."

READ MORE: Spark an interest: How STEM education leads to quality employment

As part of the career development project called Spark: Igniting Your Future, the St. Cloud Times asked Leyk to offer advice for teens. This year, Spark is taking a closer look at good-paying science, technology, engineering and math-related careers experiencing rising demand in the St. Cloud area.

This month, Spark is focused on medical and clinical and lab technician careers, a field slated to grow nearly 15 percent in the next 10 years, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

Leyk shared advice on how a lab technician can climb a career ladder.

Question: Can you tell us about your career path? What kind of schooling and training did you receive to become a lab supervisor?

Answer: I have a four-year degree from the University of Minnesota. I'm a medical technologist. I started at St. Cloud Medical Group in 1994, and I worked on the bench and was a bench tech for 10 years. A bench tech is terminology meaning they are running the tests. We have different benches that do the different testing, and they rotate through the bench rotations. I took a 10-year hiatus and was on-call for (St. Cloud Medical Group) so I worked whenever they needed extra help, and then I returned full-time three-and-a-half years ago as a laboratory supervisor. (St. Cloud Medical Group) preferred a four-year degree for the supervisor position, but each facility has their own requirements.

Q: Can you speak to the demand of medical and clinical lab technician jobs?

A: I see an increase in the demand for people in this field in the future. There's demand because of the changing technology: You hear a lot about DNA and things becoming more molecular-based. There's demand because there were people in that Baby Boomer age group that — when the economy tanked — they chose not to retire and now some of those people are looking at retiring. And then there's just the normal demand of the job.

Q: What does an average day look like for someone in a lab technician job?

A: That ranges. With health care being a 24/7 field, it kind of depends on where you get in to work. If you are working in a clinic, you might have more of an 8-to-5 type of job, and you might luck into few weekends and few holidays. If you're working in the hospital, you could be working every other weekend and you could be working all shifts. At St. Cloud Medical Group, we are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and Northwest is open on the weekends. There's a variety of opportunities, so it kind of depends on your personality and what you like. Do you like to do one thing all day, every day or do you like the variety? Depending on where you work, you can find a job that fits your skill sets and your personality. It's fairly flexible in that field.

Q: What are some of the most important skills for someone working in this field?

A: You have to like people. Important skills are problem-solving, understanding technology and having an inquisitive mind. Hit biology and chemistry really hard. Learning math is also important; I think it's teaching you new skills and to learn by thinking outside the box. It's a new language, a different skill set.

Q: How important is on-the-job training for lab technician careers?

A: It's a constant on-the-job training as we change out instruments and get new technology. There's new challenges every day. There are tons of instruments that do the same type of test, so it's different methodologies. Management will often decide which is the best instrument for your location.

Q: What advice would you have for a high school student who may not be ready to commit to a four-year program? What would you recommend as a starting point on their path to a continuing education?

A: Get started. I think you're able to build on most two-year programs and climb the ladder. My advice is to pick a path — you'll figure it out.

Q: Is there any additional advice you'd like to share?

A: Work hard at school — you're paying for it. My advice to my children is to step outside your box, maybe look at something you had never thought of before. And put in a little extra effort.

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Health care open house Feb. 26

To learn more about the Medical Laboratory field and other vital health-care careers, attend Rasmussen College's Health Career Open House at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26 at the college's St. Cloud campus, 226 Park Avenue S, St. Cloud. For more information, please visit: https://facebook.com/events/137897163682302/.

Follow Jenny Berg at www.facebook.com/sctimesjenny and on Twitter @bergjenny.