In just two years, you can finish an opticianry program and be out helping
people to see the world more clearly.
Some opticianry courses are even offered via distance education,
which means students can study by correspondence while working at another
job. If you can get a job in an optical lab while taking the course, then
you'll be getting hands-on experience while you complete the course at your
own pace.
Monique Raymond is the optical program assistant at a technical college
that offers opticianry by distance education. Her two-year program is a certificate
course, but plans are underway to upgrade it to a diploma program.
Being a high school graduate is not a prerequisite to gaining admission
into an opticianry course, but it can make it easier, especially when
you're competing against other applicants for a limited number of spots.
Students should keep up with their math throughout high school,
says Russell Hess. He used to help oversee the opticianry program at Ferris
State University in Michigan.
Other prerequisites include good manual dexterity and all 10 fingers.
Your vision must to be correctable to 20/40 vision.
Students interested in this career should have a desire to work with
people in a service industry, says Hess. You can get this type of experience
while in high school by working in stores or restaurants and volunteering
at nursing homes.
Hess also suggests taking extracurricular courses in public speaking. Good
communication skills are extremely important in this line of work.
Besides tuition, expect to pay a lot for textbooks and lab materials.
Links
Occupational Outlook Handbook
For more information related to this field of study, see: Opticians,
Dispensing
Eyes on the Road
An example of web marketing for opticians
What Does 20/20 Vision Mean?
Interesting facts about your peepers