“Never stop learning. Always be curious and try to see why things as the way they are.” That curiosity paid off for Luke. One day he was on-the-job digging out sewage, and next he was headed to an internship at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory. Luke discovered the Optics Technology program at his local community college after hearing a professor in the program talk on the radio about all the career opportunities in the optics industry. He was ready for a change and didn’t look back.

Six doesn’t mind when she has to explain, yet again, how working in optics doesn’t mean she works in an eyeglass store. She shares that it’s the manufacturing of glass, and that it’s the science of how light moves through different materials. Six knew nothing about optics as she finished high school. Luckily for her, she had a teacher who knew plenty about the many career opportunities available for optics technicians. Six applied and was accepted into an optics apprenticeship program. She finished her 2-year associate degree at her local community college and is now excited to start on her new career pathway. 

If you’re like Jackson and thrive on working with your hands, the optics technician training program could be for you. “If you like learning about how things that have lenses work, things that you use every day, you’ll find this fun. And the professors are really nice; they want you to succeed.” Jackson landed his optics technician job right after graduation.  

Haya went from working as a barista to an internship at NASA. After discovering optics, she was inspired to continue her education and is now looking towards an engineering degree in optics. As Haya has learned, the sky’s the limit in the optics and photonics industry.

John didn’t know anything about Optics until he started working in a lab at his high school. After graduating in 2019, he entered the workforce full-time at a company that makes custom Optics components. He especially loves the bonuses and perks as he was recently able to purchase his dream car!

This hardworking, determined, energetic foster mom graduated from the Optics Technician program at her local community college. “I was initially driven by the affordability of a program with an excellent reputation, and which essentially guaranteed employment at an income level that works for my family,” Kay explains. There are many different career pathways in the optics industry. Kay now works in sales at an optics manufacturing company as Account Manager.

Sam’s love of gaming, music, and graphic design is the perfect complement to his Optics career. He couldn’t be more enthusiastic about his chosen profession: “There’s so much growth right now, the field is bursting with opportunities, it’s like getting into Amazon in 1997.”

“The best part of my profession is completing a really hard job. I feel excited and accomplished. When I first started, I didn’t know anything! My trainer, she was really patient and would remind me that I’m going to get it and it’s going to make sense eventually. And I remember the first time something clicked, I was like, boom, got it!”