Teaming up with two-year colleges offering photonics programs is the best way to find qualified, ready to work photonics, optics, and laser technicians. Every year, hundreds of LASER-TEC college students graduate with excellent skills and knowledge in photonics and photonics-related areas. Many of our students receive job offers before their graduation day.
On this page, you will find college programs, their locations, program descriptions, and DIRECT contact information to find qualified talent for your company. Although you can recruit from our colleges year-round, the best time to contact colleges is a few months before graduation, which typically takes place every year in December and May.
In each program description, you will find the best way to contact and recruit from a specific college. We encourage you not to exclude the search for photonics technicians from colleges outside of your service areas, many of our students are open for travel and relocation.
CALIFORNIA
Pasadena City College
Pasadena, CA 91106
https://pasadena.edu/academics/divisions/natural-sciences/areas-of-study/laser-technology/
Brian Monacelli
Laser Technology Professor
BMonacelli@Pasadena.edu
COLORADO
Front Range Community College
2120 Miller Dr.
Longmont, CO 80501
https://www.frontrange.edu/campuses/campus-locations/boulder-county-campus
Amanda Meier, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Faculty, Optics Technology
(303) 678-3796
Amanda.Meier@frontrange.edu
FLORIDA
Hillsborough Community College
Tampa, FL 33614
https://www.hccfl.edu/dm/associate-in-science/electronics.aspx
*Tracy Barnes
Professor, Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology
813-253-7537
tbarnes@hccfl.edu
Certificate: Laser and Photonics Technician (12 credits)
AS Degree: Electronics Engineering Technology (68 credits)
Indian River State College
Ft. Pierce, FL 34981
http://www.laser-tec.org
*Moamer Hasanovic
Assistant Professor, Electronics Engineering Technology
772-462-7743
mhasanov@irsc.edu
Chrys Panayiotou
Director, Center for Laser and Fiber Optics Education (LASER-TEC)
772-462-7621
cpanayio@irsc.edu
Natalia Chekhovskaya Kearney
Program Manager, LASER-TEC
772-462-7295
nchekhov@irsc.edu
Lauren Hays
Program Coordinator, LASER-TEC
772-462-7179
lhays@irsc.edu
IOWA
Indian Hills Community College
626 Indian Hills Drive
Ottumwa, IA 52501
www.indianhills.edu/academics/tech/laser.php
Michael Shay
Instructor, Laser/Electro-Optics Technology
641-683-5111, ext. 1765
michael.shay@indianhills.edu
Frank Reed
Director & Principal Investigator
Rural Iowa Photonics Education (RIPE)
641-683-5215
frank.reed@indianhills.edu
Iowa Western Community College
Council Bluffs, IA 51503
Instructor, Laser Systems Technician and Electronics Engineering Technology
712-325-2345
MASSACHUSETTS
Springfield Technical Community College
One Armory Square
Springfield, MA 01102
https://www.stcc.edu/explore/programs/leot.as/
Nicholas Massa
Department Chairman – Optics and Photonics Technology
413-755-4579
massa@stcc.edu
Jeffery Cooper
Associate Professor, Computer Systems Engineering Technology
413-755-4578
jlcooper@stcc.edu
Gary Mullett
Professor, Computer Systems Engineering Technology
413-755-4600
gmullett@stcc.edu
Stonehill College
Easton, MA 02357
Cheryl S. Schnitzer
Associate Professor of Chemistry, Associate Professor of Physical and Environmental Chemistry
508-565-1298
cschnitzer@stonehill.edu
MICHIGAN
Northwestern Michigan College
Traverse City, MI 49686
https://www.nmc.edu/programs/academic-programs/engineering-technology/
*Brian Sweeney
Adjunct Instructor, Electronics Technology
231-995-1385
bsweeney@nmc.edu
MISSOURI
State Technical College of Missouri
Linn, MO 65051
https://www.statetechmo.edu/academic/eet/index.php
*Derek Brown
Instructor, Electronics Engineering Technology
573-897-5184
derekl.brown@statetechmo.edu
Terry Franchini
Instructor, Electronics Engineering Technology
573-897-5225
terry.franchini@statetechmo.edu
Drew Collins
Chair, Electronics Engineering Technology
573-897-5227
drew.collins@statetechmo.edu
MONTANA
Gallatin College
101 Hamilton Hall
P.O. Box 170515
Bozeman, MT 59717
http://www.gallatin.montana.edu
*Trenton Berg
Program Director, Photonics and Laser Technology
406-994-5147
trenton.berg@montana.edu
NORTH CAROLINA
Central Carolina Community College
Lillington, NC 27546
www.cccc.edu/curriculum/majors/lasersphotonics/
*Gary Beasley
Lead Instructor, Laser and Photonics Technology
910-814-8828
gbeasley@cccc.edu
NEW JERSEY
Sussex County Community College
1 College Hill Rd
Newton, NJ 07860
https://www.sussex.edu/academics/degrees/optics-technology/
Brian Lake
Optics Technology Supervisor
908-914-7556
blake@sussex.edu
NEW YORK
Monroe Community College
Rochester, NY 14623
http://www.monroecc.edu/depts/eomctech/programs/optical-technology/
*Alexis Vogt
Associate Professor & Endowed Chair, Optical Systems Technology
585-292-2685
avogt4@monroecc.edu
WASHINGTON
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Kirkland, WA 98034-8506
http://catalog.lwtech.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=4&poid=1061&returnto=150
*Stephanie Bostwick
Assistant Professor, Engineering
425-739-8100
stephanie.bostwick@lwtech.edu
Hany Roufael
Assistant Professor, Electronics Technology
(425) 739-8100 x8575
hany.roufael@lwtech.edu
Spokane Community College
1810 North Greene Street
Spokane, WA 99217
http://www.scc.spokane.edu/TechEd/Electronics
*Judy Irwin
Instructor, Electronics Technology
509-533-7133
Judy.Irwin@scc.spokane.edu
Steve Wilson
Department Chair, Electronics
509-533-7131
steve.wilson@scc.spokane.edu
CANADA
Niagara College
Welland, ON, CANADA L3C 7L3
www.niagaracollege.ca
*Alexander McGlashan
Coordinator of Photonics Technology
905-735-2211, ext. 7513
amcglashan@niagaracollege.ca
Fuel your career in lasers, optics, and fiber optics with our series of online courses for photonics technologists. Designed to fit into busy schedules, our self-paced courses allow users to register at any time and gain access immediately from desktop or mobile devices. The courses are recommended for technicians and technologists who wish to update their knowledge for personal and professional career growth, technical sales personnel, and engineers involved in cross-disciplinary projects wishing to learn the fundamentals of photonics.
This course covers the fundamental principles of light, such as the terminology relating to light, the behavior of light in different environments, and light generation and manipulation.
This course teaches principles of geometrical and physical optics that can be applied in the fields of electronics, instrumentation, telecommunications, and biomedical equipment.
This course provides a practical, real-world perspective on the fundamentals of fiber optics technology and optical data communications.
This course builds on the previously acquired knowledge and skills taught in the Introduction to Photonics and the Geometrical Physical Optics courses.
A detailed description and learning outcomes for this course are still in the works and will be provided when available. All suggestions welcome.
LASER-TEC publishes a monthly newsletter called the Optics and Photonics Education News (OPEN) where we share the latest news and updates in curriculum materials, resources, events, jobs for graduating students, as well as information related to our partner colleges and members of the laser, optics, photonics, and fiber optics industry network.