Apprentice Optical Assistant
Elliott and Heath Optometrists
CHESTERFIELD (S41 7QA)
Closes in 29 days (Friday 30 May 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 2 April 2025
Contents
Summary
This vacancy is for an Apprentice Optical Assistant based in Chesterfield The successful applicant will have the opportunity to undertake valuable work experience within Elliott & Heath Opticians supporting day to day tasks whilst gaining on the job qualifications.
- Wage
-
£14,722.76 a year
- Training course
- Optical assistant 2022 (level 3)
- Hours
-
1 day study at the practice, alternate Saturdays, every Wednesday .
Working hours between 8.30am until 5.15pm. 7.5 hour day with unpaid breaks.
Start time can be adjusted to suit preferred breaks.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Monday 9 June 2025
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you’ll do at work
Are you looking for a career in optics with full training and support? We are seeking a dedicated and ambitious Optical Apprentice to join our professional team and train towards becoming a qualified Dispensing Optician.
What We're Looking For:
- Minimum of 5 good GCSE grades, including English, Maths, and Science
- Excellent communication skills and a friendly, professional manner
- Ability to work Saturdays as part of a flexible schedule
- Smart appearance and a commitment to providing outstanding customer service
- Hand dexterity to learn to assemble spectacles
- A willingness to learn and develop in a professional, business-focused environment
What We Offer:
- Full on-the-job training with the opportunity to progress to a Dispensing Optician qualification
- A supportive and structured learning environment
- Hands-on experience in a dynamic optical practice
- Career progression opportunities in the optical industry
If you're motivated, eager to learn, and looking for a rewarding career, we'd love to hear from you!
This is an extremely rare opportunity with a prestigious independent practice to gain a degree level qualification without university fees while earning a wage.
Where you’ll work
79 NEWBOLD ROAD
CHESTERFIELD
S41 7QA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
TRAINING 2000 LIMITED
Your training course
Optical assistant 2022 (level 3)
Equal to A level
Course contents
- Deliver customer service which aligns with company values, beliefs and purposes
- Identify when and who to refer to when supervision is required such as ocular emergencies, screening, dispensing and collections of restricted categories
- Work within the limits of policies, procedures, and regulated activity such as GDPR, NHS, GOC, Health and Safety at Work and safeguarding
- Follow employer’s guidelines and expectations for presentation and team working
- Identify and meet customer needs within the optical environment
- Communicate with customers and the optical team to maximise understanding
- Refer customers needing communication support such as language, hearing, visual or learning difficulties to appropriate services
- Follow health and safety legislation in the optical environment including customer safety, hygiene, and infection control
- Follow safe use instructions when using optical equipment such as adjustment tools, screening equipment and measuring equipment
- Follow procedures and processes for first aid, accident and incident reporting or evacuations
- Provide the benefits and limitations of the different services (e.g. sight tests, contact lenses) and extended services (e.g. minor eye condition services, low vision services) to the customers within the optical environment
- Offer non-prescribed products such as contact lens solutions, common ophthalmic drops, ready readers, magnifiers, and other accessories to customers
- Select appointments, recall information, appointment types and exemptions on the employer’s system, and maintain accurate records, e.g. customer details
- Report and record ocular emergencies following correct employer procedures
- Accurately prepare clinical records for use following employer procedures
- Accurately complete customer pre-appointment procedures
- Use product tolerances to validate product accuracy
- Use lens measuring equipment to identify prescriptions and lens measurements
- Identify lens types using engravings such as progressive lenses and safety spectacles and remark lenses where required
- Interpret the spectacle prescription to identify a range of vision correction options suitable for the customer
- Offer suitable lens products to the customer based on customer needs and preferences, using features and benefits to highlight suitability
- Offer specialised products to the customer based on their needs and preferences, using features and benefits to highlight suitability
- Offer suitable frames to the customer based on their needs and preferences, using features and benefits to highlight suitability
- Identify frame fitting suitability including facial, frame and spectacle lens measurements required to process spectacle orders for the customer
- Process spectacle orders, payments and arrange collections, offering relevant promotions to the customer where appropriate
- Identify and check visual acuity for near vision spectacle, explaining adaption as required
- Fit spectacle frames through the use of questioning, measurements, and tools
- Use tools correctly to adjust frame without causing damage
- Provide advice and guidance on frame fitting, lens care and after sales service
- Identify guarantees and warranties of optical products and adhere to the Sales of Good Act
- Manage customer concerns and or complaints in line with employer procedures
- Use problem solving techniques to identify concern and or complaint causes
- Communicate with customers to resolve concerns or complaints within the limits of their own authority
- Follow remake procedures
- Follow repair procedures
- Recognise and resolve customer complaints e.g. poor fitting, incorrect measurements, or offer alternative options in line with business requirements
- Participate in training and development activities to maintain own practice
- Participate in appraisal, obtain feedback, and use self-reflection to plan further development opportunities and identify available career opportunities to support progression
- Adapt approach for customers with ocular conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetes
- Conduct screening using screening equipment and record accurate results
- Inform the patient about the equipment, processes and procedures used for screening
- Gain support or guidance from colleagues during screening when required
- Inform the patient that the tests check for medical conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetes
- Demonstrate contact lens handling and insertion and removal to a patient
- Show the patient how to care for their lens
- Provide advice and guidance on cleaning of lenses and solution types
- Follow out of hours emergency procedures
- Recognise a customer’s ability to make an informed decision
- Tell the customer what the sight test includes and how it is carried out
- Work independently to plan and manage workload
- Assess and mitigate risk in patient’s home to ensure an appropriate eye test can be delivered
- Mange own wellbeing and resources
- Maintain team communications when working remotely
- Deliver customer service which aligns with company values, beliefs and purposes
- Identify when and who to refer to when supervision is required such as ocular emergencies, screening, dispensing and collections of restricted categories
- Work within the limits of policies, procedures, and regulated activity such as GDPR, NHS, GOC, Health and Safety at Work and safeguarding
- Follow employer’s guidelines and expectations for presentation and team working
- Identify and meet customer needs within the optical environment
- Communicate with customers and the optical team to maximise understanding
- Refer customers needing communication support such as language, hearing, visual or learning difficulties to appropriate services
- Follow health and safety legislation in the optical environment including customer safety, hygiene, and infection control
- Follow safe use instructions when using optical equipment such as adjustment tools, screening equipment and measuring equipment
- Follow procedures and processes for first aid, accident and incident reporting or evacuations
- Provide the benefits and limitations of the different services (e.g. sight tests, contact lenses) and extended services (e.g. minor eye condition services, low vision services) to the customers within the optical environment
- Offer non-prescribed products such as contact lens solutions, common ophthalmic drops, ready readers, magnifiers, and other accessories to customers
- Select appointments, recall information, appointment types and exemptions on the employer’s system, and maintain accurate records, e.g. customer details
- Report and record ocular emergencies following correct employer procedures
- Accurately prepare clinical records for use following employer procedures
- Accurately complete customer pre-appointment procedures
- Use product tolerances to validate product accuracy
- Use lens measuring equipment to identify prescriptions and lens measurements
- Identify lens types using engravings such as progressive lenses and safety spectacles and remark lenses where required
- Interpret the spectacle prescription to identify a range of vision correction options suitable for the customer
- Offer suitable lens products to the customer based on customer needs and preferences, using features and benefits to highlight suitability
- Offer specialised products to the customer based on their needs and preferences, using features and benefits to highlight suitability
- Offer suitable frames to the customer based on their needs and preferences, using features and benefits to highlight suitability
- Identify frame fitting suitability including facial, frame and spectacle lens measurements required to process spectacle orders for the customer
- Process spectacle orders, payments and arrange collections, offering relevant promotions to the customer where appropriate
- Identify and check visual acuity for near vision spectacle, explaining adaption as required
- Fit spectacle frames through the use of questioning, measurements, and tools
- Use tools correctly to adjust frame without causing damage
- Provide advice and guidance on frame fitting, lens care and after sales service
- Identify guarantees and warranties of optical products and adhere to the Sales of Good Act
- Manage customer concerns and or complaints in line with employer procedures
- Use problem solving techniques to identify concern and or complaint causes
- Communicate with customers to resolve concerns or complaints within the limits of their own authority
- Follow remake procedures
- Follow repair procedures
- Recognise and resolve customer complaints e.g. poor fitting, incorrect measurements, or offer alternative options in line with business requirements
- Participate in training and development activities to maintain own practice
- Participate in appraisal, obtain feedback, and use self-reflection to plan further development opportunities and identify available career opportunities to support progression
- Adapt approach for customers with ocular conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetes
Your training plan
More training information
- Level 3 Optical Assistant Apprenticeship.
- Functional Skills Level 2 Maths and English can be obtained on the course if you don't already hold these qualifications.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4/C or above)
- Maths (grade 4/C or above)
- Science (grade 4/C or above)
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Team working
Other requirements
Please do not contact the company directly. Please note - we reserve the right to close any vacancies from further applications when we have received a suitable number of applications from which to make a shortlist. Please ensure you apply as soon as possible if you wish to be considered for this role.
About this company
At Elliott and Heath, our goal is to make you shine like a star. We aim to help you see the world clearly while keeping you looking good and looking after your vision.
https://www.elliottandheathopticians.com/ (opens in new tab)
After this apprenticeship
The successful candidate will work towards achieving a level 3 qualification in optical and gain experience in a busy optical practice.
Upon completion of the level 3 qualification, you will be an experienced and qualified optical assistant, and as such, you can continue building up skills that will always be in demand. Career breaks and part time working are often possible.
You could go on to acquire higher level optical qualifications such as:
- Ophthalmic Dispensing- Become a qualified Dispensing Optician.
- Contact lens Optician - fit contact lenses.
- Low vision specialist - help people where traditional spectacles will not suffice. Supply low vision aids, magnifiers, advice on improving contrast and on other non Optical aids such as bump-ons.
- Optometry courses - carry out full eye examinations and issue prescriptions.
- Clinical representative- visiting practices introducing new frame ranges and Ophthalmic lenses.
- In-practice trainer - You could use your knowledge to train others.
Other non-clinical roles:
- Practice Management - you could complete a management course.
- Practice ownership - you could go into business yourself, partnership or franchise.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
TRAINING 2000 LIMITED
Lauren Reddaway
lauren.reddaway@t2000.co.uk
01254 54659
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000313381.
Apply now
Closes in 29 days (Friday 30 May 2025 at 11:59pm)
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