The photonics industry sits at the heart of modern technological progress, powering innovation across sectors like telecommunications, data processing, information technology, healthcare, quantum science, and defense.1 While the photonics industry is driving progress across multiple fields, it faces a growing challenge: a shortage of talented, highly skilled professionals. Demand for the next generation of young leaders, those who will shape the future of photonic devices, is steadily rising. Yet, the industry is struggling to keep pace due to a limited pipeline of qualified experts.
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Why Is There a Skills Gap in Photonics?
The photonics industry is facing a serious shortage of qualified labor, driven by an aging workforce, a growing skills gap, limited training infrastructure, and the need for a diverse, modern skill set. As the industry expands rapidly, there's a critical need for technicians equipped with up-to-date expertise to support large-scale industrial success. To meet this demand, training programs and educational curricula must evolve, integrating core concepts in both linear and nonlinear photonics, along with practical, hands-on components aligned with the needs of today’s digital landscape.2
A deep understanding of the light-matter interactions is essential for various sectors, including the photonics sector, fiber optics industry, high-speed data telecommunication industry, and quantum sciences. However, the industry-related knowledge is only being delivered at the graduate level. Fresh graduates are falling behind when it comes to technical advancements, which is causing a serious shortage of individuals for the photonics industry. In this regard, hands-on training in linear and non-linear photonics during the undergraduate studies will play a crucial role in bridging the skill gap and maintaining a constant supply of a qualified workforce.3
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Industry Impact: Delayed Projects and Innovation Stalls
Industrial Experts on the Effects of Lack of Skilled Workforce
The lack of workers skilled in manufacturing photonics systems, assembling photonics components, performing rigorous industrial testing, and resolving issues is seriously affecting progress in the industry. Elizabeth Moore of MIT’s Materials Systems Laboratory emphasized that the shortage of mid-level skilled workers poses a significant risk. Without enough talent to support scaling efforts, the industry could face project delays and serious setbacks in advancing innovation.
Emerging fields like integrated photonics are advancing quickly, but the shortage of skilled professionals is becoming the leading obstacle to continued growth. Even the Vice President and CTO of Optical Engineering at Marvell Technologies has underscored the urgent need for technicians and experts with strong competencies in integrated photonics and high-speed optical communication systems.4
Other Critical Sectors Affected
The convergence of photonics technology with smart semiconductor manufacturing is leading to on-chip photonics manufacturing, novel IoT infrastructure development, efficient on-chip semiconductor devices, and ultra-fast data transfer. The skilled workforce of the photonics industry is crucial for semiconductor manufacturing, quantum computing, and intelligent decision-making system development.
The convergence of photonics technology with advanced semiconductor manufacturing is driving breakthroughs in on-chip photonics, next-generation IoT infrastructure, high-efficiency semiconductor devices, and ultra-fast data transmission. A skilled photonics workforce is essential not only for semiconductor manufacturing but also for advancing quantum computing and intelligent decision-making systems.
However, the shortage of specialized talent is slowing progress in these areas. This talent gap is particularly impactful in the development of smart quantum computers and in maintaining the efficiency of high-speed data centers, where photonics plays a central role in cloud computing performance. Quantum computing chips and neuromorphic chips increasingly rely on the design, packaging, and processing methods of silicon-integrated photonic chips. When the photonics sector lacks the skilled professionals needed for research and development, it creates ripple effects, delaying innovation and disrupting product development across these closely connected industries
Major Challenges in Training
One of the primary drivers of the skills gap in the photonics industry is the lack of specialized undergraduate programs. Existing STEM curricula are falling short of meeting the specific demands of the photonics sector. This disconnect between academic training and industry needs continues to limit the pipeline of qualified professionals entering the field.
Lack of Programs at the Undergraduate Level
Josanne DeNatale, Marketing Manager for the American Center for Optics Manufacturing (AmeriCOM), has pointed out that the U.S. community college system is significantly lagging in equipping students with the skills needed to replace the retiring workforce in the optics and photonics industry. Currently, around two-thirds of degree programs in photonics, laser, and optical technologies are offered at the graduate level, leaving a major gap at the foundational stages of education. Indian River College stands out as the only institution offering an electronics engineering degree with a dedicated focus on photonics technology, highlighting just how limited undergraduate options are in this critical field.5 This underscores a broader issue: there is a clear lack of focus on the photonics industry within major educational institution. In other countries, the challenge is even greater, as many institutions lack access to cutting-edge technology and the resources necessary to offer students the hands-on training and experience required to enter the photonics workforce with confidence.
Need for Industry-Focused Photonics Training Program
Experts from MIT recently published a comprehensive report analyzing the skills gap and evolving needs within the photonics industry. After conducting an in-depth survey and interviewing leading photonics manufacturers, the report revealed a sharp rise in demand for roles such as photonics technicians and optical equipment operators. Meanwhile, positions like CNC machine operators, electronic equipment assemblers, maintenance technicians, and electronics technicians are also growing, though at a more moderate pace. These findings highlight the shifting workforce priorities as the industry continues to expand and evolve.
The number of technically skilled middle-level and lower-level technicians in the U.S was estimated to be around 58,000, with estimates forecasting the number to reach around 85,000 by the end of 2031. Keeping these numbers in mind, the U.S. needs around 140 more industry-oriented training programs to meet the needs of the photonics industry regarding engineering technicians.
If the focus is on short-term photonics industry-focused vocational training programs, at least 185 national-level programs need to be instigated to provide the required number of lower-skill level technicians for the optics and photonics manufacturing industry. With these specially designed training programs and short vocational courses, it is possible to bridge the skill gap and provide the workforce with the relevant skills needed for the future.6
Bridging the Gap: Solutions and Innovations
Governments, companies, and educational institutes have recognized the need for specialized programs focused on the photonic industry, and investments are being made to ensure that a qualified workforce is available to ensure future progress.
AIM Photonics: Ensuring the Photonics Industry Skill Set Development in the U.S.
In response to these challenges, AIM Photonics represents a significant initiative led by the U.S. Department of Defense to strengthen the connection between industry and academia, support photonics manufacturing, and address the sector’s growing skills gap. One of its key goals is to develop and train top-tier talent across the country. AIM Photonics offers a range of online courses covering essential topics such as the Integrated Photonics Simulation Library, PIC sensor design, photodetectors, and silicon photonics, helping to build a more prepared and technically proficient workforce.
They also offer one week of AIM Photonics Summer Academy, providing participants with an intensive study of chip fabrication principles, packaging strategies, materials, and an introduction to electronic-photonic design automation (EPDA) software. Additionally, they have partnered with educational institutes to offer Bachelor's degrees, certificates, and associate programs aimed at providing students with the cutting-edge knowledge of the photonics industry and giving them hands-on experience to excel in the present-day industry.
EU’s Photonics Education Network for Next-Gen Innovation and Digital Skills Excellence for Industry and Society (Phortify)
Phortify is the European Union’s education network for providing students with the required next-gen manufacturing technology skills, aiming to train graduates and young professionals utilizing cutting-edge modern tools, technology, and photonics knowledge. Already, 5 million Euros have been strategically invested in this innovative program, which is focused on developing a common photonics curriculum by industrial experts for seven Master’s programs across Europe. Apart from the Master’s program, meticulously designed modules for developing cutting-edge photonics competencies without an extended career break shall also be offered to ensure that high-quality photonics training and education are accessible to all levels of workers.7
The governments of countries like Finland are also investing in promoting photonics education. Through its flagship program, the Photonics Research and Innovation Platform (PREIN), Finland is taking a focused approach to tackling the key challenges facing the photonics industry. Led by a consortium of four top educational institutions, PREIN aims to strengthen collaboration between research, education, and industry. The program supports innovation, talent development, and applied research to ensure Finland remains competitive in the rapidly evolving field of photonics.8
Apart from governments and educational institutes, online platforms like Coursera and edX are also offering Semiconductor, Photonics, and Optics Technology certificates describing all the key concepts, including the quantum theory of solids, from the basics of advanced photonics devices.9
Companies like VLC Photonics and The Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) in Barcelona are also prioritizing diversity, gender equality, equity, and inclusion by offering international fellowships, outreach programs, and worldwide recruitment to ensure that talented individuals from all over the world contribute towards strengthening the photonics industry.9
The recent increase in investments aimed at improving photonics education by in-house training platforms, specialized courses, and industry-academia collaborations proves that the skill gap has been recognized as a serious threat. The lack of talent is affecting the automation sector too, and as the skill gap widens, the technological advancements will begin to slow down drastically. A focus on industry-related educational courses and training modules is the only way to produce engineers and technicians with the required skill set to ensure constant progress in the photonics industry, and its interconnected sectors like quantum computing, AI automation, autonomous vehicles, and on-chip semiconductor manufacturing.
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Further Reading
- European Commission (2025). Photonics: S3 Community of Practice. [Online]. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/communities-and-networks/s3-community-of-practice/partnership_industrial_mod_photonic_en [Accessed on: September 11, 2025].
- Ballato, J. et. al. (2024). The photonics and optics workforce: unleashing the potential for greater industry growth—introduction to the feature issue. Applied Optics. 63(2). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.516739
- Arango, J. et. al. (2022). Nonlinear photonics in undergraduate curriculum: hands-on training to meet the demands of a qualified workforce. Proceedings Volume 12213, Optics Education and Outreach VII; 122130I. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2633639
- Schlett, J. (2025). A Photonics Production Ramp-Up Prompts Reprioritization in Workforce Development. Photonics Spectra. [Online]. Available at: https://www.photonics.com/Articles/A_Photonics_Production_Ramp-Up_Prompts/a71165 [Accessed on: September 14, 2025].
- Schlett, J. (2025). STEM Programs Struggle to Satisfy the ‘Endless Demand’ for Photonics Talent. Photonics Spectra. [Online]. Available at: https://www.photonics.com/Articles/STEM_Programs_Struggle_to_Satisfy_the_Endless/a68145 [Accessed on: September 14, 2025].
- Kirchain, R. et. al. (2021). Preparing the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce: A Study of Occupation and Skills Demand in the Photonics Industry. AIM Photonics Manufacturing Innovation Institute, Air Force Contract FA8650-15-2-5220. MIT Office of Open Learning. [Online].Available at: https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/143765/Photonics%20Workforce%20070521.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y [Accessed on: September 15, 2025].
- Gittins, C. (2025). €5 million investment in photonics education and training network. [Online]. Available on: https://www.electronicspecifier.com/news/e5-million-investment-in-photonics-education-and-training-network/ [Accessed on: September 16, 2025].
- Electro Optics (2024). Photonics in Finland: Meeting the skills shortage with education. [Online]. Available at: https://www.electrooptics.com/analysis-opinion/photonics-finland-meeting-skills-shortage-education [Accessed on: September 16, 2025].
- VLC Photonics (2025). Diversity, equity, inclusion. [Online]. Available at: https://www.vlcphotonics.com/dei/ [Accessed on: September 17, 2025].
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