# Optical Forums > Canadian Discussion Forum >  Lux Shuts Down Winnipeg Operations

## edKENdance

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...260878561.html

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## Jacqui

http://video.ca.msn.com/watch/video/...?from=HP12_CBC

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## ex-optician

That is a large lay-off and painfull for their families and communities.  Unfortunately this has happened several times, most notibaly with the collapse of Imperial and then Standard optical. With technology being so user friendly people become expendable and they can set up elsewhere with ease. I hope Luxottica puts together a good severance package for their loyal employees. Having left the business several years ago I was surprised to find out that Luxottica has aquired Oliver Peoples. I am wondering how has this impacted the integrity and quality of this line of eyewear?

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## MakeOptics

For employers with sub-par opticians on the payroll, get ready for a lot of talent to hit the street.  Maybe it's time to upgrade your optician in CA.

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## ml43

> For employers with sub-par opticians on the payroll, get ready for a lot of talent to hit the street.  Maybe it's time to upgrade your optician in CA.


Without sounding too arrogant/rude.

Aren't most wholesale lab technicians technically unskilled(assembly line) workers?

I'm not too sure on the laws in Canada, but in the U.S. most wholesale lab technicians aren't licensed, and don't have any direct patient/dispensing experience.

Sure they know how to run large optical equipment, but most of that does not transfer over to retail.
Kind of like technicians at a chemical supply company, going to work in university lab.
Some stuff is similar, but the day to day is very different.

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## MakeOptics

> Without sounding too arrogant/rude.
> 
> Aren't most wholesale lab technicians technically unskilled(assembly line) workers?
> 
> I'm not too sure on the laws in Canada, but in the U.S. most wholesale lab technicians aren't licensed, and don't have any direct patient/dispensing experience.
> 
> Sure they know how to run large optical equipment, but most of that does not transfer over to retail.
> Kind of like technicians at a chemical supply company, going to work in university lab.
> Some stuff is similar, but the day to day is very different.


Still applicable, I don't know CA as well as the US but I consistently see no experience necessary when hiring.  Someone with lab knowledge has a step in the right direction and to be honest a person with a great personality in the lab would make for a wonderful front house employee.  A great advantage to a lab person is having a better intuition for time frames for delivery of a job, and being able to visualize the final product, training used to start in that direction back first and then to the front.

Some other advantages other than 1/2 the training being complete:

1 - The job market is going to be saturated, making it an employers market.
2 - Assembly work is often best complete by beta personalities, so they are less likely to office politic for top dog position making a great worker bee.
3 - If the office has an in house edging or surfacing they will be able to jump right into that role with very little instruction.

Great points that the two sides are not necessarily compatible but even still you always have that one guy/gal who was the glue that held the lab together, you may find that guy/gal available for a position now.

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