There’s a quiet crisis brewing in one of the most vital sectors of American advanced manufacturing: a shortage of instructors to train the next generation of precision optics technicians. As schools like Monroe Community College look to grow their optics programs, one truth becomes increasingly clear—qualified educators with hands-on experience are sought-after and deeply valued.
That’s why, at MCC, the call is out for experienced fabrication technicians with a background in optical fabrication and finishing (conventional, CNC, diamond turning), assembly, testing, and coating, who might be interested in teaching. Sure, you know the feel of a polishing lap or the hum of a metrology station—now we want you to pass that hard-earned knowledge on to your future peers.
Great reasons to answer the call.
Teaching can be a powerful way to give back to a trade that may have given you a career, a home, and a future. You can inspire others to get into the optics industry by exposing them to its true potential to enrich their lives. Many students enter these programs not even knowing what optics is—until an instructor lights the spark. Instructors aren’t just shaping the workforce pipeline, they’re transforming students’ lives. Students coming through today’s optics programs often enter jobs with solid foundational skills in fabrication, metrology, and inspection.
Rewards beyond measure.
When you teach, you see success stories all around you. And sometimes, your impact reverberates for years. Students may even come back later and thank you for introducing them to the industry. So, step up and help ensure a bright future for the field you love—and a generation looking for meaningful work that’s vital to modern life.
Find out more today.
For current openings at Monroe Community College, Rochester, NY click here:
Questions? Contact Alexis Vogt or Mike Pomerantz directly.
For current openings at other programs, contact:
Openings may not currently be available at all programs. Reach out to the contacts below to see additional ways to get involved and share your professional knowledge.
Jenna Montague – Front Range Community College, Boulder, CO
Jack Stafford – Sussex County Community College, Newton, NJ
Jim Kraly – Keene State College, Keene, NH
Carolyn McMorran – Valencia Community College-AST, Orlando, FL
Mark Craig – Gallatin College – MSU, Bozeman, MT
Brian Monacelli – Pasadena City College, Pasadena, CA
Fahad Usman – Connecticut State Community College, Norwalk, CT
Adam Balogh – Laney Community College, Oakland, CA
Michael Shay – Indian Hills, Ottumwa, IA