Central Carolina Community College

LASER-TEC is the Center for Laser and Fiber Optics Education, founded in 2013 by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and headquartered at Indian River State College in Florida. It was founded to help meet the goals of educating and sourcing domestic talent in the areas of optics and photonics. As a service to students, recent graduates, and prospective employers, Photonics Spectra runs a profile of one of the LASER-TEC colleges each month.

The Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) Harnett County campus has offered an associate-level degree in laser and photonics technology since 1987. More than 600 technicians have graduated and are working in the laser and photonics industries throughout the U.S. and internationally. Companies that have hired graduates include Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Coherent, Wasatch Photonics, Cree, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Mazak, MegaWatt Lasers, B&W Tek, and Duke University.

CCCC students Dylon Dierolf and Koin McDuffie set up a lab for an argon-krypton laser. Courtesy of LASER-TEC.

Program description

CCCC's two-year associate degree in applied science (AAS) offers a strong technical core that provides hands-on training in state-of-the-art labs stocked with the latest industrial-grade equipment. Technicians receive a solid foundation in electronics during the first year. In their second year, they learn photonics, geometrical optics, physical optics, fiber optics, and laser technologies. Graduates work as technicians for industrial production companies, in laser research and development, and in national labs, field service, and system repair, among others.

Graduates of CCCC's AAS program in laser and photonics technology have the skills to:

Troubleshoot integrated photonic systems using microscopes, oscilloscopes, pulse generators, power meters, beam analyzers, spectrometers, or energy measurement devices.

Tune Nd:YAG, HeNe, HeCd, argon-krypton, fiber, and CO₂ lasers to maximize power and optimize beam quality.

Construct, analyze, test, measure, troubleshoot, and assist in the design of optical systems.

Perform high-quality fusion splicing for single- and multimode fibers.

Analyze, configure, test, measure, troubleshoot, and assist in the design of analog, digital, and microcontroller circuits and systems.

Describe laser safety and protection requirements for various class levels, and be able to calculate and specify safety parameters for laser systems.

Properly clean and maintain precision optics.

Document procedures such as standard operating procedures.

Use computer-based tools to effectively complete technical tasks.

Use appropriate equipment and tools common to electronic repair, including hand tools, meters, generators, and oscilloscopes.

Perform preventive or corrective maintenance on electronics and photonics/laser systems or components.

Recognize the need to maintain currency in modern photonics and electronics applications, new products, and systems.

Maintain service records of electronics and photonics/laser systems.

Effectively communicate technical ideas, procedures, and results with others in written, oral, and graphical formats.

How to recruit from this college

Come to CCCC to present your company and employment opportunities to our students. CCCC will make available a private room, free of charge, in which to interview interested students. Please contact the person below to make arrangements for a recruiting visit. Graduates are available each December and May.

Contact Information

Gary Beasley
+1 910-814-8828
gbeasley@cccc.edu

1075 E Cornelius Harnett Blvd.
Lillington, NC 27546

Program website

www.cccc.edu/curriculum/majors/lasersphotonics