Richard Spencer did not expect to change careers when he was 46. When a mid-career change was foisted on him four years ago, however, he used his mechanical skills and a contact he had made during his 18-year cable industry career to get hired as a technician at Harris, now L3Harris Technologies Inc., in Melbourne, Florida.

Spencer pushed past his initial anger and anxiety about having to start a new career, to use his mechanical know-how and strong work ethic to learn photonics technology skills on the job and in college. His opinion of his former boss has softened as his new career has taken off.

“By virtue of him letting me go, he opened doors I didn’t know were there,” Spencer said of his former employer. Those open doors have led to Spencer earning pay raises, promotions, an associate degree, and – if his applications to the U.S. Patent Office are approved – two patents for innovative photonics technology processes that he devised.

Read the full article here: https://www.preparingtechnicians.org/diligence-turns-mid-career-shock-into-successful-photonics-technician-career/