Photonics Workforce Education and Development in Puerto Rico

摘要

At the Puerto Rico Photonics Institute we have responded to the need of a workforce competitively prepared for entry into the fields of lasers and photonics by creating a 1-year Photonics & Lasers Technical certificate, supported under a grant from the US Department of Labor. The project, entitled New Horizons: Puerto Rico Lasers and Photonics Career Pathways offers displaced workers, veterans, and others in Puerto Rico an opportunity to develop new and highly-marketable skills for the 21st century. We give a roadmap of plans and pitfalls, and share our successes, challenges, solutions, and future expectations for those planning similar programs.