LILLINGTON - While finishing up Central Carolina Community College's Laser and Photonics Technology (LPT) program, Antonio DePaz, from Lillington, was faced with the same problem many of the LPT graduates face -- "Which job to take!"

DePaz's LPT Lead Instructor, Gary Beasley, kept telling him, "Just work hard, learn the material, be a good student, and instead of worrying about getting a job offer, you will probably have to worry about which job offer to accept!" Because of the high demand for students with this education, Beasley says, "There are more jobs than students to fill the jobs, which in most cases, creates a situation of companies searching for students, versus students searching for jobs."

This was the case for DePaz. He took Beasley's advice, worked hard, and prepared well -- and the offers came one after another. He was first given opportunities to stay local, but after much thought, DePaz decided he wanted to explore opportunities in other parts of the country.

So, for several weeks, Antonio flew around the country interviewing with companies in California, Illinois, and Ohio.

After much research and thought, DePaz accepted an offer from LSP Technologies in Dublin, Ohio. LSP Technologies make laser systems, sold all over the world. DePaz began his employment on March 27th.

"The education I received from CCCC has helped me in my current job by exposing me to a work environment, real situations, tools, and lasers during most of my schooling that I now use at my job," said DePaz. "I learned more than enough to understand the language that is used in the laser field and that helps me a lot now to understand and learn new things easier."

Brad Dunnington is a board member, shareholder, and advisor to LSP Technologies. "At LSP Technologies, we take great pride in being a global technology leader. We have been awarded over 75 patents and continue to develop unique technologies with global applications. However, we passionately believe that our unique culture trumps all other factors contributing to our success. In order to thrive in our culture, every LSPT team member must possess three characteristics. They must be humble, hungry, and smart. Antonio has demonstrated that he possesses these three characteristics," said Dunnington. "I am especially pleased that Antonio has joined our team. Given the intriguing variety of technologies that we work with, Antonio will be surrounded with opportunities to continue his technical and professional development. I am looking forward to following Antonio's career growth and success in the coming years as a member of the LSPT team."

What are his impressions of the CCCC Laser & Photonics Technology program? "In order to meet the growing global demand for our services, LSP Technologies will be inviting new team members to join our unique culture for the foreseeable future. We have attempted to familiarize ourselves with numerous programs designed to prepare laser & photonics professionals," said Dunnington. "CCCC's program stood out during our investigation. Professor Beasley has developed a program that equips his graduates to hit the ground running and strive for continuous learning throughout their careers. We believe that CCCC's best graduates will possess those three vital characteristics necessary to thrive within LSPT's culture."

DePaz notes that CCCC was a great and fun experience. "I wouldn't be where I am at today without the support from my instructors and all of the CCCC staff," he said. "My advice to anyone interested in attending CCCC is that they will not regret it. Any program that one decides to be a part of will help to teach and prepare one for their future job. You will meet new people, make new friends, and you and your classmates will become a family, which will help you learn easier and better prepare you for your future job."

To learn more about Central Carolina Community College's Laser & Photonics Technology program, contact Gary Beasley at (910) 814-8828 or by email at gbeasley@cccc.edu.