Career Overlap Occupation record
RecordJob

Where an optical technician can go next

5 destinations recorded, ranked by how much of the target role an optical technician already meets. The closer to the top of Table 1, the less there is to learn.

Optical technicians assemble, repair and design various parts of eyewear such as lenses, frames, patterns and eyewear. They cut, inspect, mount and polish all parts using various machinery and hand tools. Optical technicians shape, grind and coat lenses for prescription eyewear. They fit completed lenses into eyeglass frames. Optical technicians ensure that lenses conform to the dispensing optician’s, specialised doctor in ophtalmology's or optometrist's prescriptions. They may also work with other associated optical instrumentation and its maintenance.

Also known as optical instrument technician, artificial glass eye maker, technologist in ophthalmic laboratory, contact lens maker, optical technical, ophthalmic technologist, eyewear repairer, spectacle technician, ophthalmic laboratory technologist, lens mounter, technician in optical production, optometry technician.

Technicians and associate professionals 39 skills on file 5 career moves 0 above 60% overlap Closest: optician, 29%

Fig. 2 · Career map 5 nearest · ESCO v1.2.1
optician 29% covered optical instrument repairer 28% covered optical instrument assembler 22% covered eyewear and optical equipment… 22% covered photographic equipment assemb… 17% covered optical technician You are here
  • 70% and above · short step
  • 50 to 70% · real move
  • Below 50% · substantial retraining
The 5 nearest destinations from optical technician, each one a link to that move’s record. Distance from the centre is how much retraining the move takes; the figure on each is how much of that role an optical technician already covers. All 5 are listed in the tables below.
Table 1

Table 1 · A bigger jump

Possible, but expect real retraining rather than a sideways step.

Table 2

Table 2 · What the job itself asks for

An optical technician needs 27 required skills and areas of knowledge. These 10 are the ones fewest other jobs share, so they say the most about the work.

Required skill Area
  • perform maintenance on eyewear working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • handle contact lenses assisting and caring
  • perform frames' repairs working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • prepare optical laboratory activities handling and moving
  • comply with optical prescriptions working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • cut lenses for eyeglasses handling and moving
  • operate optical equipment working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • use ophthalmic instruments working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • maintain records of clients' prescriptions information skills
  • manufacturer's recommended price business, administration and law
Index

Look up another occupation

Optical technician is filed under Technicians and associate professionals, ISCO major group 3. The full index lists all ten groups.

Note

How these figures were compiled

Overlap is how much of the target role is already part of an optical technician’s work. It is directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. Every entry above opens the full comparison for that move: what carries over, what is missing, and where to start. The full method.