An optician store like Specsavers needs more than just opticians to run smoothly. Here is a selection of the other in-store and head office colleagues you will typically find
on the team:

· Optical, hearcare and domiciliary assistants (supporting customers in store)

· Lab technicians (sometimes in store, finishing spectacles ready for customers)

· Store Managers

· Retail Business Support

· Supply Chain

· Technology

· Marketing & Creative

· Human Resources

· Finance

“I had always been interested in being an Optometrist.  I had a Saturday job here for a while so that gave me a pretty good insight into what goes on day to day at an opticians.  I had thought about going the traditional A Levels route, but found out that, with the Apprenticeship, I would be able to work my way to becoming an Optometrist instead.  After talking it over with my family, colleagues and the directors here, I decided to make my store role full time and signed up to the Apprenticeship after my GCSEs, in September 2019.

The apprenticeship has been an excellent launchpad into the optical industry, and I can already see so many options opening up to me. During the apprenticeship, I covered every area of the store, from pre-testing customers, to dispensing glasses and contact lens.  Each week, I was given time away from the shopfloor to complete coursework or assignments for my apprenticeship. I had regular meetings with my assessor to track how my knowledge was growing and to help set targets.  I had great support from my colleagues, too.  Working with experienced staff in store meant that there was always someone willing to help if I needed it.  The apprenticeship was only 13 months long but it flew by!

Since I completed the apprenticeship, my experience helped me become the in-store trainer here to help plan the development of my colleagues.  I’m now the store’s assistant manager!  The apprenticeship was a brilliant place to start, but I am continuing my learning journey.  I’m currently doing the Cert 4, part of the Specsavers training programme, and then I plan to study Ophthalmic Dispensing, so I can prescribe and fit glasses and contact lens.  I’m also enjoying my management responsibilities here in store, which I know will open other opportunities to me here.

There is generally a shortage of opticians and ophthalmologists so it’s a career I would recommend.  You get to meet people every day and it’s definitely a caring profession; you can make so much difference to someone’s quality of life.  It’s also true that, as we get older, we tend to need more eye care so, as we’re all living longer now, we’re going to need even more of us in future!”

Optical & Aural Apprenticeships

Hearing Aid Dispenser (Level 5)

Optical Assistant (Level 2)

Optometrist (Level 7) in development

Dispensing Optician (Level tbc) in development