What Factors Affect Students to Enroll in AAS Technical Programs?

A report on a recent study commissioned by OP-TEC provides enlightenment on what is needed to help colleges recruit more students.

It is based on interviews with 70 "new students" at six colleges throughout the USA to determine what factors affected their decision to enroll in photonics  technician AAS degree programs  The results are revealing & somewhat unexpected, particularly the low influence of the high school counselor. I personally think that the implications go beyond photonics, to most all the technical areas served by ATE. The paper can be accessed and downloaded from the OP-TEC web site http://www.op-tec.org . If you don't have time to read the entire paper, just go to the charts of results; it may surprise you. Here are a few examples:

 

 

Free Optics and Photonics Publications and Webinars

College faculty and high school teachers of optics, lasers and photonics have a need to “stay current” to new developments and applications in the field. Professional networks and attendance at conferences are certainly useful, but opportunities to attend these meetings are limited to the availability of your time and travel $$. Another way to do this, from your office or computer, is by receiving publication and attending webinars from free trade journals.

I have identified at least 12 free publications that contain the latest technical information and news. Some are general photonics pubs; others are publications in photonics applications, such as materials processing, telecommunications, bio optics, etc. If you want to receive any or all of these pubs, just click on the URLs provided by their titles. In it are the web site locations for you to sign up for the pubs. It's pretty easy, or I wouldn't be able to do it.

In many cases, you may select the digital (e-mailed) version, or have the hard copy mailed to you. I review all of these pubs; mostly I just receive the electronic versions; they're much quicker to review. But you may want to receive hard copies so that you can distribute them to your students. At least twice/year they will publish a Buyer's Guide. Once/year they publish a "directory".

Free publications from Pennwell: http://www.pennwell.com/index/Optoelectronics.html

BioOptics World : http://www.omeda.com/cgi-win/bow.cgi?ADD

Industrial Laser Solution: http://www.omeda.com/cgi-win/ils.cgi?ADD

Laser Focus World: http://www.omeda.com/cgi-win/lfw.cgi?ADD

Lightwave: http://www.omeda.com/cgi-win/lw.cgi?ADD

Vision Systems Design: http://www.omeda.com/vsd/

The website www.optoiq.com is powered by BioOptics World (from Pennwell) and has many good links and much information.

Free publications from Laurin Publishing:

BioPhotonics: http://www.photonics.com/Subscriptions/SubscriptionForm.aspx?SubBIO=1

Photonics Spectra: http://www.photonics.com/subscriptions/SubscriptionForm.aspx?SubPS=1

Photovoltaics World: http://www.omeda.com/cgi-win/pvw.cgi

Solid State Technology: http://www.omeda.com/cgi-win/sst.cgi

Free Digital and E-newsletters: http://www.photonics.com/MemberCenter/AccountDetails.aspx

LEDs Magazine: http://www.ledsmagazine.com/subscribe

Edmund Optics:

Electro Optics: http://www.electrooptics.com/subscribe/

Helping Graduating Photonics Technicians Find the Right Job and Be Successful

Recent reports from our photonics colleges reveal that graduates are having no problem getting job offers, even in these slow economic times. The survey we conducted last year indicates that in 2010, employers will need an additional 1200 photonics techs; and the demand will continue at this level for at least several more years. We remain in a “seller’s market” for photonics techs.

But even with the many job opportunities available to them, graduating techs need to approach their job search armed with wise advice and guidance. They’ve worked hard for this opportunity and they deserve to get off to a good start. And there’s no one better to provide this advice to them than photonics techs that went through the process a few years ago. Last year, OP-TEC established the Photonics Alumni Council for Technicians (PACT). College faculty proposed alumni for membership and sixteen outstanding graduates were selected for the first council of PACT. But the selected alumni didn’t just want to be recognized for their success, they wanted to “give something back”; they wanted to help other techs that were just beginning their career; and they wanted them to benefit from their own experiences—good and bad. So they provided significant input to the preparation of a pamphlet entitled “How to Search for and Find Your First Job.” This four-page publication addresses the following topics:

• “Money isn’t everything”, but it helps. (Explains other employer benefits that are also important.)
• Where do you want to live? Where would you be willing to live?
• What kind of work do you want to do?
• Have you prepared a resume?
• What do you hope will happen in the interview?

Shortly after the first pamphlet was published, the PACT set out to develop a second one entitled, “How to Make Your First Year on the Job a Success."

It included the following topics:

• You haven’t learned everything when you graduate.
• Your mother doesn’t work here, so learn how to survive on your own.
• You’re personally responsible for the quality and timeliness of your work.
• Your value as an employee will depend on your soft skills as much as your technical expertise.
• When possible, volunteer to represent your employer in community or charitable events.

Employers who have reviewed the pamphlets have enthusiastically recommended that all future techs and new hires have copies of these materials. You can review them also, by clicking here.

OP-TEC is providing limited copies of these pamphlets to any college—or employer—that requests them. And we can provide a print-ready copy to colleges that want to customize the pamphlets with their institutional identification. We’re not trying to sell them; we just want them to be used.

This year the PACT is considering the preparation of additional pamphlet(s) that could be used to help high school students consider a career as a photonics technician.

What a great way for these recent grads to “give back” to the photonics field—and to help young people that could greatly benefit from their advice.