Author Archives: Kaye McIntosh

Careers in Eyecare   →  Articles by: Kaye McIntosh
Categories Apprenticeships, Careers in eyecare, Education, For students, Looking for work, Optical assistant, Traineeships, Work Posted on Author Kaye McIntosh

Clinical technicians – a great opportunity 

A scheme for optical assistants to gain extra skills to support optometrists is celebrating its 500th graduate. Isabel Nibbs is now a Specsavers clinical technician after a 16-week training programme. The scheme gives people the skills to carry out pre-assessment procedures and collect diagnostic information, working under the supervision of an optometrist. The technicians support optometrists to provide better care. “The clinician technician training has enabled me to become more confident with patients and have a deeper understanding of how…

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Categories A levels, Careers in eyecare, Education, For students, For teachers, Orthoptist, STEM, Students, Work Posted on Author Kaye McIntosh Tags degree, orthoptist

Five reasons to choose a degree in orthoptics

1. Become a respected health professional Orthoptists are experts in diagnosing and treating defects in eye movement and problems with how the eyes work together, called binocular vision. They are registered with and regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). To qualify, they study for a degree in orthoptics. You can find out more about the course, including where you can study, here. Each university sets their own entry requirements but they usually include good GCSE Maths, English…

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Categories For Employers, Looking for work, Work Posted on Author Kaye McIntosh

Flexible working – your new rights

You can now request flexible working from your first day in a job, removing the need to have 26 weeks’ continuous employment. The move is just part of a package of measures changing the landscape for workers and employers. People will be able to make two flexible working requests every year, rather than one, under The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act. It came into force in April, covering England, Scotland and Wales. The Act cuts the time limit for employers…

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Categories Careers in eyecare, For students, For teachers, Looking for work, Work Posted on Author Kaye McIntosh Tags sales rep

12 reasons to choose a career in optical sales

Optical sales representatives promote a manufacturer’s lens, frame or contact lens range to practices. You could be selling a designer brand and products that help people get the best vision possible, making a huge difference to their lives.  Why choose this career? You are a people person. This is a great role if you enjoy meeting people and have strong communication skills. You’ll visit different practices every day, explaining your range of lenses or frames, and why they would suit…

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Categories Careers in eyecare, For Employers, Work experience Posted on Author Kaye McIntosh

Making work experience work for employers

Why offer work experience? Providing short-term placements helps employers reach the talent, different perspectives and skills that young people – or career changers – offer. It also provides opportunities for your staff to supervise and mentor, helping to develop their management, leadership and communication skills. Students bring the interests and needs of the next generation of patients and customers. Engaging with the community also helps boost your profile and customer loyalty.  Work experience programmes typically involve shadowing an employee and…

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Categories Careers in eyecare, Contact lens optician, Day in the life, Dispensing optician, For students, Looking for work, Optical practice manager, Work experience Posted on Author Kaye McIntosh

A day in the life – the contact lens optician

Wilma Paton is a contact lens optician at Specsavers in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire What's your role? I’m a dispensing optician (DO) and contact lens optician (CLO). I quickly knew that optics was my career when I first joined Specsavers Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, in a meet and greet role nearly 20 years ago. That developed into the practice manager role. I’ve been learning ever since to progress and support our patients.  I moved to Specsavers Newlands, in Glasgow, ten years ago…

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Categories Apprenticeships, Careers in eyecare, For students, Looking for work, Work Posted on Author Kaye McIntosh

Specsavers rated one of the UK’s best employers

Specsavers has been ranked 23rd in the top 50 best places to work  in the UK. This is the first time the high street optical chain has taken part in the Great Place to Work survey, a global benchmark which gathers feedback from members of staff.  At least 65% of employees must report a consistently positive experience before companies are certified by the scheme. In the UK, 78% of workers backed Specsavers.  They praised the opportunities offered to develop and…

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Categories Careers in eyecare, For students, Looking for work, Optical practice manager, Work Posted on Author Kaye McIntosh

Could you be a practice manager? 

Do you have a passion for healthcare and a head for business? Every optical practice needs a manager. Start as an optical assistant or qualify as a dispensing optician and you could go on to become the manager, running the day to day business. These roles will see you leading the team, overseeing the finances, and making vital decisions. You will need to be enthusiastic about eyecare and clinically-minded. Your focus will be on sales and customer service. You will…

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