Also called: Optical Lab Technician, Lens Technician
Cuts, grinds and coats eyeglass lenses and fits them into frames.
Prescriptions roll in all day. You load lens blanks into machines that grind them to the exact prescription, add scratch and anti-glare coatings, then edge them to fit a customer's new frames.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. High-school diploma; trained on the job.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Certification. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Shrinking (about -1% over 10 years). BLS projects little change.
High risk for 10 years. Automated lens surfacing, edging and coating machines do most of the work; fewer techs are needed.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply at optical labs (LensCrafters, Zenni, Essilor labs) or through a staffing agency; new hires are trained on the job
Classes: Physics, Algebra.
Official data: O*NET occupation 51-9083.
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