Eight States Certify NAO's OCPP as an Alternative to Education

Eight states--namely Alaska, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas--now allow apprenticing opticians to enroll in the National Academy of Opticianry's Ophthalmic Career Progression Program (OCPP) rather than attend school full-time, notes the National Academy of Opticianry. "These states...view the OCPP as one method for Apprenticing Opticians to achieve their states' rigid education and training requirements via the OCPP's  'home study' apprenticing program," according to a recent NAO email.

Participants in the 28-year-old program must have a high-school diploma or equivalent and must work in an optical position with a licensed and practising optician, optometrist, or ophthalmologist. The student also must interact daily with his/ her sponsor, who assesses the student's progress through the program.  The cost of the OCPP is $800.  A payment plan is available.

The NAO notes that more than 1450 students in the U.S. and overseas participate in the program while working for such operations as LensCrafters, WalMart, Davis Vision, Empire Vision, National Vision, Pearle Vision, and Sterling. 

Since the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) has approved the OCPP as a method for preparing for the ABO certification exam, opticians and eye doctors from the other 42 states use the program as a baseline for their training programs. For more information, call NAO (800-229-4828) or click the OCPP button on the association's home page.