Lorain County JVS

At its Summer Internship Dinner, Lorain County JVS celebrated 140 interns and 106 industry partners while aligning with regional demand for pathways and work-based learning spotlighted by Team NEO and JobsOhio.
 

Celebrating Real Impact
On October 14, 2025, Lorain County JVS honored 140 high-school interns and 106 industry partners at its annual Summer Internship Dinner. Together, the interns accrued 40,382 work-based learning hours and earned over $575,000 in gross payroll—concrete evidence that the region’s next-gen talent is gaining meaningful experience, not just exposure.

The school district also marked its five-star rating on the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce’s 2024-25 Report Card, reflecting strong performance in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, technology, and skilled trades programs.

Aligning With Regional Demand
A recentTeam NEO analysis finds that Northeast Ohio is seeing a growing need for entry-level positions—especially in skilled production, health technologists/technicians and training roles—yet many students and job-seekers remain unaware of these pathways. As Jacob Duritsky of Team NEO puts it:

“We won’t grow our way out of the talent shortage — we have to build our way out. Because young people can’t pursue what they can’t see, we need to give them real-world experiences that help them discover the opportunities right here in the Northeast Ohio Region.”

Lorain County JVS is answering that call—bridging the gap between student exploration and employer demand via internships, partnerships, and applied learning.

 

 

Voices From the Evening

• Dr. Glenn Faircloth, Superintendent: “Our students contribute to real economic outcomes and graduate ready to lead.”
• Michelle McClintic, High School Supervisor: “Their commitment and professionalism reflect the power of hands-on education.”
• Megan Champagne, High School Principal: “They’re stepping into roles that require real skills… That’s what makes our program transformative.”
• Rex Engle, Board President: “Every hour a student spends learning on the job is an investment in Ohio’s future.”
• Kathy Quintiliano, Board Vice President: “We’re not just building careers — we’re building confidence, purpose, and leadership.”
• Lisa Hutson, ONE Lorain County: “When we invest in students, we’re investing in the future of our economy.”
• Tony Gallo, Lorain County Chamber: “They’re not just preparing students for jobs — they’re preparing them to lead.”

 

Why It Matters: Career Exploration & Readiness
The Team NEO findings underscore a crucial truth: early exposure to career pathways, real-world internships, and work-based learning experiences are no longer optional—they’re essential. The region’s forecasted workforce challenges call for bold solutions:

• Encouraging students to explore skilled trades and manufacturing careers before college decisions are locked in.
• Providing meaningful internships like those at LCJVS that translate into credentials and job offers.
• Partnering with industry, economic development agencies and education providers to align curriculum with actual talent needs. With 84% of external partners now strongly agreeing that Career-Technical Education (CTE) is a valued or preferred option in our region (from post-event survey), this aligns perfectly with that regional imperative.

 

 

Bold Partnerships, Strong Outcomes

Lorain County JVS is amplifying its impact through strategic partnerships—connecting with Team NEO, JobsOhio, Lorain County Community College, Manufacturing Works, ONE Lorain County, the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce and dozens of local employers.

These relationships create the structure for sustainable talent pipelines, registered apprenticeships, stackable credentials, and regional economic growth.

In the post-event survey (external survey to business leaders, families, and civic partners):

• The event received an average 4.0 rating for overall experience.
• An 80 Net Promoter Score (NPS) indicated strong willingness to recommend LCJVS to others.
• A 4.41 average rating for optimism around talent readiness, a growing economy and strong collaboration.
• The student panel earned a 4.22 average rating—showing that student voices matter and resonate.

 

Optimism for Lorain County’s Workforce Future
The combined metrics—40,000+ work hours, $575K wages, 140 interns, 106 partners, five-star program rating—are more than just numbers. They’re indicators that Lorain County is proactively shaping its future talent base.

By embracing career exploration early, aligning with regional workforce data, and building work-based learning systems, Lorain County JVS is signaling bold progress: our students are ready, our region is collaborating, and Ohio’s economy is positioned for a stronger tomorrow.

 

 

 

Next Steps & Call to Action

• Employers: Partner with Lorain County JVS to host interns, design talent pipelines and access skilled-entry candidates.
• Students & Families: Explore available programs in manufacturing, healthcare, tech and skilled trades—where credentials, internships and job offers await.
• Community Leaders: Encourage support for career-technical education as a core economic driver—because workforce readiness is regional prosperity.

Learn more and connect: Lorain County JVS: www.loraincountyjvs.com