PAL-TEC
Educational and Career Pathways in Photonics
Westchester Community College is proud to present our newest offering for our students. The college is now a nationally recognized center offering our students the chance to prepare for careers in the field of photonics and laser technology.
Starting in September 2018, students can take courses in Mechanical Technology that will introduce future technicians to working with lasers in the fields of advanced manufacturing, networking telecommunications, and medical technology.
What is Photonics? Why is Photonics Important?
Photonics is the technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. Photonics involves cutting-edge uses of lasers, optics, fiber-optics, and electro-optical devices in numerous and diverse fields of technology – alternate energy, manufacturing, health care, telecommunication, environmental monitoring, homeland security, aerospace, solid state lighting, and many others.
Career Opportunities
Photonics technicians manufacture, install, test and operate lasers, lenses, mirror, spectrometers, and other optical and fiber optic equipment. The average annual salary nationally is $62, 330. The photonics market is projected to grow 8.4% between 2016 and 2024.
Resources:
The National Center for Optics and Photonics Education, OP-TEC
http://www.op-tec.org/
National Institute for Woman in Trades, Technology and Science
http://www.iwitts.org/
Association for Career and Technical education
https://www.acteonline.org/
Society for Women Engineers
http://societyofwomenengineers.swe.org/
For more information about PAL TEC, please contact:
Kary Ioannou, Ph. 914-606-8561
Kyriakos.Ioannou@sunywcc.edu
For more information on related fields, please contact:
Mechanical Technology and Manufacturing
Tom Curanovic, Tom.Curanovic@sunywcc.edu
Computer Networking
Steve Leone, Stephen.Leone2@sunywcc.edu
Statement:
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1700564. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in the material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.