Fiber Optics as a Career

Although not apparent, fiber optics plays a very significant role in our daily lives. When we make long-distance or international telephone calls or browse through the Internet, we are communicating through optical fibers. Without a backbone of an optical fiber network, it would be almost impossible to have all the current facilities of communication and information transfer. The entire world is being "fibered." Having a basic understanding of the guiding properties of optical fibers and recognizing their applications in communication and sensing can provide a person with an added advantage in terms of job prospects in many different areas. Fiber optics is being used in diverse applications such as cold lighting in museums, construction of smart civil structures, and networking for communication. Among many issues associated with day-to-day handling of optical fibers, a fiber optic technician may have to solve problems regarding joining of optical fibers, location of fiber breaks, and fiber end preparation. The field of fiber optics is as exciting as ever and continues to expand even faster than microelectronics. The true age of optics, in which fiber optics is a very important part, is here and is expected to contribute in making the 21st century the century of photonics.