Category: Becoming An Optician Series

What is your advice for someone working their way to become an Optician? Keep working towards your goal! I mentor apprenticing/new opticians who sometimes comment that they can’t believe what they didn’t know. I tell them to get ready, I’m still learning 35 years later! Opticianry is a career field that advances, changes, and challenges me…which I enjoy and find rewarding. If I ever think I know it all, I’m done.   Why should anyone get certified/licensed? Becoming a licensed

What is your advice for someone working their way to become an Optician? So Worth IT! Depending on the state you live in, the path to opticianry can be complex and challenging, but let me encourage you all to KEEP Going! You will never be bored, never be without a multiple opportunities and today there are so many paths you can follow. It is a wonderful career!   Why should anyone get certified/licensed? Certification and Licensure assures that you are

What is your advice for someone working their way to become an Optician? Read!!! Pick up a textbook, a trade magazine, a marketing flyer from any rep. Just read everything you can find. The next thing is to make mistakes. No one grows by playing it safe. If you progress, you will make mistakes. Learn from them and move on–just be sure not to keep making the same mistakes over and over.   Why should anyone get certified/licensed? In states

What is your advice for someone working their way to become an Optician? Remain teachable, and find a mentor. We are in a field that is constantly evolving and technology keeps expanding. There are so many opticians with amazing skillsets, who are willing to guide you, “and teach you how to fish”. How lucky are we that our field includes fashion, art, science, critical thinking, and being of service to your community? A mentor can help clarify difficult questions, help

What is your advice for someone working their way to become an Optician? Learn everything you can, and don’t ever assume you know it all.  Find a few mentors and learn what they have to teach you.  Earn a COA accredited two-year degree, if possible. Join your state and national associations, as they can offer guidance, prep courses, and CE credits that you’ll need on your professional journey. Why should anyone get certified/licensed? Professionals have credentials.  The best professionals have

What is your advice for someone working their way to become an Optician? Work in the field while going through the school or career progression to help bring meaning to what you’re learning. Or if you aren’t in a licensed state or situation, pick up some books or video groups to help you bring a better understanding of what you’re learning. Exams are not just questions for fun, they all have a purpose.   Why should anyone get certified/licensed? I

What is your advice for someone working their way to become an Optician? I recommend working in a laboratory or with a classically trained optician who understands the history of the craft. It is important to understand the history and foundation of dispensing.   Why should anyone get certified/licensed? Certification can help your professional career advancement and foster respect in the field. It also serves to standardize the experience and quality that the patient experiences. Anyone who considers it as

What is your advice for someone working their way to become an Optician? Know that you can learn the trade. What we can’t teach is the passion, ability to empathize, and care. Surround, network and connect with positive influencers in the industry. We love to help and support our all the new professionals coming into the industry. If you treat it as a career vs a job that will completely change the way you think about it. There are so

What is your advice for someone working their way to become an Optician? Opticianry is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling careers that an individual can pursue today. There are few other professions which provide the same level of opportunity with as low of a barrier to entry. Most individuals have access to becoming a professional in a short period of time, and for the most part, can pursue a career while working and earning a living. My organization