What a year it’s been for Careers in Eyecare working with Youth Employment UK. Having started our journey at the start of 2020, we’ve managed to achieve a lot to help young people and old to understand the great career options in the world of eyecare and eyewear, winning Youth Employment UK’s Best Newcomer award for 2020 along the way. Careers in Eyecare is a campaign initiated by the Association of British Dispensing Opticians, but right from the start the…
The National Apprenticeship Scheme has been in place since 2009, and apprenticeships have a long tradition in the United Kingdom, but some employers in the optical industry have yet to embrace them. Read on to hear how optical apprenticeships can benefit you, your staff and your business. Mandy Boucher is a tutor on the level 2 optical assistant apprenticeship and says, “This is a way to empower learners to engage through hands-on learning.” As a dispensing optician (DO) with more…
Firstly, I will point out that I am new to being a STEM Ambassador. I took the plunge a couple of months back and went through the process as outlined on their website. STEM offers great support and guidance, including training materials that take you through the application process. They even handle the DBS for you. My motivation was really as an extension of the Careers in Eyecare work that ABDO has engaged with. Becoming an Ambassador seemed like a…
Are you looking for a new challenge? Have you thought about becoming a STEM ambassador? You could inspire a future dispensing optician, optometrist or optical assistant. Find what being a STEM ambassador entails and how to apply using the links below. Become a STEM ambassador Read Nick’s experience of his first STEM sessions Tips for talking to students about STEM STEM Careers in Eyecare lesson plan Careers in Eyecare Lesson powerpoint Are you a teacher? You can book a STEM ambassador to come…
Work experience is a great way for young people to build skills, learn about the world of work and get a taste for a possible career path. Find out more about work experience below. We have developed guides for employers and young people to make it easy to offer well structured and useful work experience, and help you to inspire the next generation in eyecare. Student work experience workbookEmployers’ guide to work experienceHow to find work experience for students
Introduction Work experience plays a vital part in preparing young people for their future careers. It’s an opportunity for them to step outside the classroom and, for many, a chance to see the world of work for the very first time. It can build confidence and be the first thing to go on a CV. Employers really can benefit from the exchange, as running effective work experience programmes can provide great opportunities for developing staff, engaging with new ideas and future customers –…
Lucy Knock BA MA PGCE is the Early Careers Manager, Clinical Services for Specsavers. Part of her role involves inspiring the next generation of eyecare professionals, talking to students at schools and colleges, and in this article she shares her tips. Firstly, if you are talking to young people about careers in eyecare, show, and really demonstrate, how STEM impacts our everyday lives. You could show how an OCT scan picks up subtle changes in layers of the retina allowing…
What is STEM? STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines: ScienceTechnology EngineeringMathematics STEM education in the UK has grown in recent years as a curriculum that aims to skill students by presenting a cohesive learning platform that based on real-world applications. It underpins the foundational stage of many sectors, including healthcare, and is often integral to an organisation and thus is becoming an ever-more important field for students. What is a STEM Ambassador? Aged 17+ and at…
ABDO has won the 'Best Newcomer' award for its Careers in Eyecare campaign from Youth Employment UK (YEUK). The Career in Eyecare campaign promotes careers across the sector, highlighting the range of clinical, fashion, design, technical and retail roles available. It was launched in 2020, and maximises the use of social media to reach out to young people, parents and careers advisers, and those looking to change career. YEUK made the award at its Annual Impact & Awards Event. There…
Area of focusSTEM CareersLesson plan titleSTEM Careers in EyecareTime needed60 minutesYear groupYear 10+Lesson plan overviewStudents will research a range of eyecare careers linked to STEM subjects and present back to class what information they have found.Learning outcomesStudents will better be able to link the learning in the classroom to a range of careers they may be interested in Students will see how STEM subjects fit into so many careers and that with a good understanding of STEM subjects the world…