If you are into fashion, love caring for people, or working on a busy shop floor, there’s a future for you in eyecare. Don’t assume you need top grades in maths – you may have other, more important skills. Becoming an optical assistant is a great place to start. Employers often feel that a flair for customer service and being willing to learn can be more important than exam results. Responsibilities You’ll be responsible for welcoming people and helping them…
Daniel Green qualified as a dispensing optician (DO) in 2018 and has worked for Specsavers for ten years. He is also an optometry clinical tutor at the University of Manchester. What do you start with every day? The great thing about my role is the variety, no two days are ever the same. Depending on whether I’m delivering training, I could be hands on in a dispensing lab giving training and support, or I could be logging into a video…
A video to inspire young people into optics careers will run in hundreds of schools and colleges during National Apprenticeship Week, starting 6 February. Adam Matthews, an apprentice at Specsavers Chesterfield, Derbyshire, will feature alongside colleagues Helen Belkhodja, a director covering four of the firm’s practices in Surrey, and head of apprenticeships Dena Wyatt. “It’s exciting to be taking part,” says Adam, who joined the apprenticeship scheme in June 2022. “I’ve learnt a huge range of skills in a variety…
T levels are two-year courses for 16 to 19 year olds in England, broadly equivalent to three A levels. Health, science and healthcare science T levels were launched in September 2021, while qualifications in other subjects are still coming on stream. They were developed with employers, schools and colleges. Health representatives involved in the panels that worked on the health and science courses included optometrists as well as nurses and hospital staff. Placements An alternative to A levels and apprenticeships,…
Sai visits patients in their homes, working as his own boss but with the support of a company in a joint venture partnership. What do you start with every day? I like to start my day sorting out my packed lunch, ensuring I have plenty of water as it can be thirsty work chatting to patients all day! I also do some general housekeeping like making sure my testing equipment is prepped and checking my patient list, which is organised…
Claudio Tarantino is a trailblazer for dispensing and contact lens opticians who want to expand their clinical practice. He has achieved accreditation under the contact lens optician Wales Optometry Postgraduate Education Centre (WOPEC) Minor Eye Conditions (MECS) scheme. It means Claudio can do more to support his patients and the NHS. Primary eye care practitioners triage, manage, and prioritise patients presenting with a minor eye condition. Claudio Tarantino of Specsavers Stratford-upon-Avon has taken an extra qualification to manage patients with minor…
Interviews are opportunities to show your skills to the recruiter. Preparation is key. Before the interview, research the company. What does the website or social media say about the business’s activity, values and history? Who are the senior people? This can give you insights into their priorities, what they want from potential employees and why they are hiring. Read the job advertisement again and think about what it says about the business, the role, and the candidate they want. Rehearse…
Specsavers has announced an initiative to help develop talented new healthcare specialists. It has pledged to offer 100 placements in optical care services for learners studying the new Government-led T Level qualification in Healthcare Science. Working in partnership with the educational charity and leader in vocational and technical learning NCFE, it is hoped the scheme will help to expand the pipeline of talented individuals entering the profession. Dena Wyatt, National Apprenticeship Manager for UK Apprenticeships at Specsavers, says: ‘Supporting the…
Becoming a dispensing optician or optometrist gives you a range of options for your career. Some people may enjoy the clinical side of the role, while others may like to focus on management and retail. If you would like to have control over all aspects of the business, have you thought about running your own optical practice? You can discover more about running a practice at the ABDO Become an Independent Optician twilight session. This event is free of charge…
If you are still at school or college you may want to know more about which careers offer flexible ways to work. There are plenty of ways to work flexibly when you work in eyecare, and in this article we look at being a locum. A locum is a stand-in for a regular member of staff. You can find locum doctors, optometrists and opticians. Nurses, support workers and health care assistants can also work flexibly. You might hear about working…