Tmorse:
Does this mean you are not willing to share your vast store of aquired optical knowledge?
Chip (sure hope I spelled and puntuated right)
Tmorse:
Does this mean you are not willing to share your vast store of aquired optical knowledge?
Chip (sure hope I spelled and puntuated right)
The Stumble Inn will be serving:
Fresh baked Humble Pie
&
Pan roasted Crow in a lemon dill sauce
How many slices would you like?
In our state, no education is necessary - it is on the job training for dispensing opticians. In our office, we have no one with ABO credentials or any letters after their name. We just hired someone with 17 years dispensing experience who had her ABO, but let it expire because it doesn't seem to give any additional edge. The Wal-Marts and Pearl's just hire off the street and give little training. Our local community college is working on a program for opticians but my question is this; why would you go to college for a job that does not pay any better than what opticians are paid in our state? There are many jobs requiring no college education that pay quite a bit more.
I have a degree in Elementary Education that I am not using at present. I know teachers are underpaid, but they make a lot more than an optician does plus have a lot more benefits.
We are paid by the hour and if the owner decides to close the office (like for Christmas Eve, etc.), we are not paid for the day off. Is that the way it is in most other areas? Over 5 years, we have 3 weeks vacation and 5 sick days. Maybe there is a better thread for this, but is this fairly common?
In order for Opticianry to move forward we need educate. It will remain where it is in your state until you do so.
Will you earn more money in the short term? No. You will learn a lot about the profession and optics in general, it will make you more of an asset.
Once more and more Opticians are educated in your state then you can begin the fight to become licensed. Will it be easy? No. You will create a better environment for younger people who want to go into Opticainry.
Simple answer...it's an investment in yourself. On-the-job training can be hit and miss... since your employer is your mentor/teacher, and it's often a question of how much he knows or remembers?... what to teach?, ... can he teach?, etc, etc... while paying you a salary.
Some employers want to share their knowledge, while others cannot or will not. You may get a reasonable optician education, if your employer had received one.
An I don't mean simple 'temple-bending' skills... I mean really knowing geometric optics so that you can troubleshoot an optical problem. If you can't leave for formal schooling in another State, I can suggest the next best alternative... consider registering for a formal distance learning/online opticianry program available through some NFOS schools... www.nfos.org
Good Luck!:cheers:
Tmorse:
From the postings we have seen lately where the Rx calls for 13 or more diopters of imballance and neither the prescriber or the optician have a clue that this can't be made into workable Rx. Doesn't seem that even those with doctorate educations are benefiting very much from "education."
Chip
Last edited by chip anderson; 09-29-2008 at 08:19 PM. Reason: "m"
Hey Patsy,
In your state education is not necessary?
Shameful
Move to a different state and then you may be able to use your degree in education and make a couple of bucks.:)
Sorry just had to do that
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