What they do
Cut, grind, and polish eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other precision optical elements. Assemble and mount lenses into frames or process other optical elements. Includes precision lens polishers or grinders, centerer-edgers, and lens mounters.
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Also called: |
Edger Technician, Finishing Lab Technician, Lab Technician (Laboratory Technician), Lens Grinder and Polisher, Line Operator, Optical Lab Technician (Optical Laboratory Technician), Optical Technician, Polisher, Surfacing Technician
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Wages
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Vermont - 2023 |
Percentile1 | Hourly | Yearly |
10% |
$ 15.46 |
$32,150 |
25% |
$ 18.78 |
$39,070 |
Median |
$ 19.05 |
$39,630 |
75% |
$ 24.74 |
$51,450 |
90% |
$ 25.76 |
$53,580 |
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Average |
$ 22.07 |
$45,910 |
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More at CareerOneStop |
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Industries of Employment
United States - 2020 |
Industry | Percent of total |
- Miscellaneous manufacturing
| 32% |
- Healthcare and social assistance
| 23% |
- Health and personal care stores
| 22% |
- Merchant wholesalers, durable goods
| 9% |
| 8% |
More at BLS |
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Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about: |
- Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
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- Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
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- Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
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- Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
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- Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
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More at O*NET |
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Skills
People in this career often have these skills: |
- Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
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- Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
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- Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
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- Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
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- Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
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More at O*NET |
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Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments: |
- Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
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- Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
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What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler |
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Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need: |
- Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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- Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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- Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
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- Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
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- Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
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More at O*NET |
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Tasks
On the job, you would: |
- Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
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- Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
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- Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
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- Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
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- Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
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More at O*NET |
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Related Occupations
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Career Video
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Projected Employment
Projected employment not available for Vermont but may be for the nation and other states at CareerOneStop |
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Education and Experience:
- Typical education needed for entry
High school diploma or equivalent
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- Work experience in a related occupation
None
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- Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
Moderate-term on-the-job training
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Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications |
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Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. |
- Physical activity is Somewhat Important
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Low | | High |
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Compare Occupations at O*NET |
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Job Zone
Some Preparation Needed |
- Specific Vocational Preparation Range
(4.0 to < 6.0) - A typical worker will require
over 3 months up to and including 1 year
of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
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Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP |
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Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have? |
Education level | | Percent of U.S. Workers |
Doctoral or professional degree or post-MA certificate | | 1% |
Master's degree or post-BA certificate | | 4% |
Bachelor's degree | | 4% |
Associate's degree | | 7% |
Certificate or some college, no degree | | 23% |
High school diploma or equivalent | | 56% |
Less than high school diploma | | 5% |
More at O*NET |
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Abilities
People in this career often have talent in: |
- Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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- Arm-Hand Steadiness
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
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- Finger Dexterity
The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
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- Control Precision
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
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- Manual Dexterity
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
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More at O*NET |
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Work Activities
In general, what you might do: |
- Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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- Handling and Moving Objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
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- Controlling Machines and Processes
Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
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- Working with Computers
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
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- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
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More at O*NET |
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Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day: |
- Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
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- Inspect finished products to locate flaws.
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- Shape glass or similar materials.
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- Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
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More at O*NET |
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Other Resources
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- CareerOneStop
resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
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- O*NET Online
nation's primary source of occupational information
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