Sean Deidrick

New Skills Mean New Career Opportunity for Adult Precision Machine Technology Student

Sean Deidrick , Precision Machine Technology, Class of: 2011
Sean Deidrick never had problems finding work. But the work he found was often tedious, tiresome and dangerous.

"I was bouncing around, doing manual labor, working long hours in jobs with no chance for advancement; jobs where no skills were needed," said Deidrick, who graduated from Southview High School in 2003. "I wanted something better."

After working thirteen jobs in ten years, Deidrick thought about returning to school, but he had his doubts after high school and failed attempts at college.

"I wasn't a star student," Deidrick admitted. "I didn't care about my classes and dropped out of college twice."

Deidrick, 26, found his niche in the Lorain County JVS Adult Career Center's Precision Machine Technology Program.

"I'm a precise kind of guy, I always pay a great attention to detail no matter what I'm doing," he confessed. "I knew that PMT was for me."

But Deidrick's employer at a Lorain foundry had other ideas.

"They switched my schedule, making it difficult for me to attend the JVS," Deidrick said. "I had to choose between work and education. I left and didn't look back. It was hard, but I made the right choice."

Indeed.

Today, Deidrick is a full-time machine operator at EMC Precision Machining, making parts, components and assemblies for agriculture, aerospace, automobile, mechanical, medical, recreational and wind turbine industries.

But getting there was not easy.

Deidrick faced new challenges returning to school: acceptance in the program; finding the funds to pay for the nine-month course, including books and tools; and completing all the paperwork - with less than a month to go before classes began.

"The JVS understood my dilemma and moved swiftly to help get me enrolled," Deidrick said.

That included tuition assistance through Pell Grants and Stafford Loans; plus knowledge and patience from JVS instructors Ralph Bentley, Jim Knoble and Frank Pavlovcic.

"I worked part-time while attending (the JVS)," Deidrick said. "There were days when I was late for class because of work, but they were very accommodating and understanding. They brought more than 100 years of experience to the table and their connections definitely helped me land my job at EMC."

In fact, EMC called Deidrick and asked him if he was interested in a job.

"That was a surprise," Deidrick said. "But I knew I was ready. Thanks to my JVS classes, I already knew how to read blueprints and work with coordinated measuring machines."

"The JVS taught me to really pay attention to detail, visualizing a project in third-and -fourth dimensions, brainstorming ideas, anticipating problems and how to fix them beforehand," he explained.

Deidrick also took advantage of JVS support services, polishing his resume, perfecting his portfolio and sharpening his interviewing skills.

Down the road, Deidrick said that he plans to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. He also offered some advice to others seeking success.

"Don't be afraid to push yourself, stray out of your comfort zone," he said.