Western US Center Planning Grant for Lasers+Photonics Education

激光、精密光学、摄像系统、光子学和其他运用光科学的技术领域的工作是我们国家技术竞争力的重要方面。美国高级技术教育(ATE)国家中心(OP-TEC)最近对美国光电子行业进行的全国调查结果显示，在美国西部，公司目前雇用了近5000名光电子技术人员，并预计在调查后的五年内需要增加1100多名技术人员。欧文山谷学院(IVC)利用美国国家科学基金会颁发的光子学奖，开发了激光和光子学技术方面的学分课程和副学士学位计划，以招募更多的行业和教育合作伙伴。合作伙伴将共同制定一项计划，在美国西部建立一个光子学区域中心，以满足行业对光子学技术人员的需求。这项规划工作汇集了来自加利福尼亚州、俄勒冈州、华盛顿州、亚利桑那州、内华达州、犹他州、爱达荷州、蒙大拿州和怀俄明州的行业和教育合作伙伴，为建立区域光学和光子学中心制定了一个全面的计划，为学生进入该行业的入门级技术职位做好准备。IVC将在规划过程中继续与ATE国家中心(OP-TEC)合作。

Jobs in lasers, precision optics, camera systems, photonics, and other technical areas that employ the science of light are essential aspects of our nation's technical competitiveness. The results of a recent national survey of photonics industries in the US conducted by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) National Center, OP-TEC, showed that, in the Western US, companies currently employ nearly 5000 photonics technicians, and projected a need for over 1100 additional technicians over the five-year period following the survey. Irvine Valley College (IVC) is leveraging an NSF award in photonics that has led to the development of for-credit courses and an Associates' Degree program in Laser and Photonics Technology to recruit both additional industry and educational partners. Together the partners will develop a plan for a Regional Center in Photonics in the western US to respond to industry need for photonics technicians. This planning effort brings together industry and educational partners from the states of California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming to develop a comprehensive plan for a Regional Center in Optics and Photonics that would prepare students for entry-level technical positions in the industry. IVC will continue to work with the ATE National Center, OP-TEC, during the planning process.