Vocational schools also offer studies in this field. Students may spend more time in the laboratory or on work projects than in the classroom. The first year in a program for technicians may include mathematics, physics, drafting, and diagramming and sketching. Other useful studies are basic electronics, industrial safety, electronic instrumentation, and electromechanical controls. Students may also take introduction to lasers, machine tools and shop practices, and introductory computer programming.
Optics is an important part of the curriculum.
Students may also study laser and electro-optic measurements, laser applications, laser materials, and wave optics. Students may take glassblowing and vacuum techniques, communications skills, technical report writing, and microcomputers and computer hardware. Students may take part in laser projects in their second year. These activities teach them more about work on their own. Laser technicians must be prepared to study continually in order to keep up with advances in this new field.