Dennis Barrett

Engineer Gets a Great Start in JVS Manufacturing Academy

Dennis Barrett, Manufacturing Engineering Technolog, Class of: 2004
Dennis Barrett attributes his career success to knowing what he wanted to do with his life and getting a jump start on his career at the Lorain County JVS.

Barrett, a 2004 graduate of Midview High School and the Lorain County JVS Manufacturing Engineering Technology Program, recently received his Bachelors of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cleveland State University. Prior to that, he received an Associate of Science Degree in Welding Technology from Lorain County Community College. He is employed as a mechanical engineer at Lee's Grinding in Strongsville, Ohio.

"I've been interested in mechanical things since I was a kid playing with legos," stated Barrett. "As I got older, my interest continued to grow; I just started playing with bigger toys, like cars."

While at the JVS, Barrett took advantage of every opportunity to experience the world of work. He participated in the JVS summer internship program and discovered he liked working in a manufacturing environment while working at Advance Weight Systems in Grafton.

"Being successful in this field takes multiple skills. Besides the typical skills associated with technology, two very important skills for a person to have are organization and communication," stated Barrett. "You may have the best idea in the world but if you can't organize your thoughts and communicate with your customer, the idea will never come to fruition."

Barrett urges students to take advantage of the opportunities the JVS provides to help them earn industry-specific certifications. "Certifications are always important; since I work in the Aerospace industry, I obtained certifications in the aerospace international standard," stated Barrett.

"The best part of my job is that I get to be versatile. I work for a small company so I have to wear many hats. One day I can be working on a project, the next day I will be working with the quality department or producing parts as an operator," he concluded.

The Lorain County JVS Project Lead The Way Program is a high school college tech-prep program designed to help students succeed in engineering, science, and technology. For more information, visit www.lcjvs.com, email [email protected], or call 440/774-1051, ext. 2323.