New Courses Offer Added Skill Sets for Professionals Seeking to Enhance Career Opportunities

University of California, Irvine Extension announces two new course additions to the Optical Engineering Certificate Program for the winter quarter.According to Indeed.com, the national salary average for an Optical Engineer is $93,000, which means today's optical engineers must take advantage of technology and trends in order to stay ahead of the competitive market,said Dr. Dave Dimas, director of UC Irvine Extension's engineering, sciences and information technology programs.Participating in continuing education with top-notch industry professionals is the most effective way to remain in the forefront of the industry. We always strive to bring courses that deliver the advanced skill sets that help these professionals move forward in their career.

New online courses, scheduled from Jan. 9 through Mar. 25, include:Optical Mechanical Component Design.This introductory course fills the gap between optical and mechanical engineering. Students will learn how to insure designs are reliably manufactured, how to integrate optical and mechanical components into subsystems and much more.Introduction to Fiber Optics With an emphasis on properties of light, light emitting diodes and fiber optics, topics from this course will include system analysis and design, light coupling to fiber, fiber waveguide dispersion, and other concepts related to fiber optics.

A free webinar, titled Optical Engineering and Optical Instrument Design: Education Planning Session,is scheduled for Nov. 29. Participants will hear about the newest trends and technology available to optical engineers and the benefits of the certificate program. Information on payment options including student loans, state and federal funding, and other career planning resources will also be presented. To register for the webinar, visit extension.uci.edu/events.

About UC Irvine Extension: University of California, Irvine Extension is the continuing education arm of UC Irvine. Through thousands of courses and programs offered on campus, online and on site, UC Irvine Extension helps adult learners reach their career advancement and personal enrichment goals and is celebrating 50 years of providing universally accessible, university-level learning to local, regional, and global communities.About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UCI is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,000 staff. Orange County's largest employer, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion.