Laser Technician
Northrop Grumman, USA

Shawn Bowman is a laser technician. He chose this profession because he always had an interest in technology and was curious about lasers and optics. Currently, Shawn is employed by Northrop Grumman, a defense contractor in the USA.

The education and hands-on experience with lasers Shawn received at Central Carolina Community College really helped him prepare for his job. Learning to set up optical benches, operate high-powered lasers, and perform difficult optical alignments was especially useful. In his everyday work, he assembles, aligns, tests, and troubleshoots complicated laser systems that are used by the United States military.

Shawn finds that aligning lasers and trouble-shooting laser systems is very rewarding. Also, knowing that the laser systems he works on are being used by the men and women who defend his country makes him very proud of his work. Shawn is glad he decided to attend college for a two-year degree in lasers and photonics. That education has provided him with many valuable and exciting opportunities.