Optical Assistant Apprenticeship
PULLEN AND SYMES LIMITED
Ottery St. Mary (EX11 1AD)
Closes in 20 days (Sunday 17 August 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 28 July 2025
Contents
Summary
As our new apprentice, you will be working alongside our experienced team members to provide excellent customer service to our clients. You will be responsible for tasks such as booking appointments, dispensing glasses, maintaining accurate records, and providing advice to customers on the best products for their needs.
- Wage
-
£16,575 a year
- Training course
- Optical assistant 2022 (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Monday 15 September 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
As an Optical Assistant Apprentice you will be carrying out some day to day duties as well as developing certain skills and expanding your role over a period of time.
You will be expected to greet customers, develop an understanding of clinically issued prescriptions, offer advice on products that is personalised for your customers, as well as carrying out admin duties and more. The role of an Optical Assistant changes day to day and will develop during the course of your apprenticeship, making it an exciting and interesting position to be involved in!
You will also have the opportunity to learn about the latest optical technology and trends, and gain experience in a fast-paced and dynamic industry. This is a fun and exciting role that offers the chance to work with a great team of people, and to develop skills that will be valuable throughout your career.
This role is due to start in September 2025
Where you'll work
18 Mill Street
Ottery St. Mary
EX11 1AD
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
TRAINING 2000 LIMITED
Training course
Optical assistant 2022 (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
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 legal requirements for consumers
- 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 legal requirements for consumers
- 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
Training schedule
Level 3 Optical Assistant Apprenticeship Standard:
- Functional Skills Level 2 in Functional skills maths and Literacy, can be obtained on the course (if required)
- Enhancement / challenge – how to develop ourselves
- Equality and diversity – treating others equally, respect / accept others from different backgrounds
- British values – democracy, rule of law, respect and tolerance, individual liberty
- Prevent – safeguarding individuals from being drawn into terrorism
- Digital skills – keeping up with technology and effective use
Requirements
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Team working
About this employer
Proud To Be An Independent Optician In March 2003 Nicki and David Pullen took over the two well-established practices from our predecessor, John Symes who had built up a following in Exeter and Ottery St Mary for over 30 years. Since 2003 we have moved to significantly larger premises in Ottery, completely refitted the Exeter practice and made huge investments in the very latest consulting room technology. Today, our two teams are led by Emma Hill and we continue to provide comprehensive eye care for over 35,000 clients a year. We offer personalised eyecare, taking the time needed to provide a bespoke service.
https://www.opticiansinexeter.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
Your birthday off work Access to Simply Health (claim cash-back on health-care purchases) Retail discounts Cycle to work scheme
After this apprenticeship
- Once your apprenticeship is completed, there is an opportunity to work as an experienced optical assistant with a view to progressing to be a Dispensing Optician
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
PULLEN AND SYMES LIMITED
Emma Hill
Emma.Hill@Hakimgroup.co.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000334027.
Apply now
Closes in 20 days (Sunday 17 August 2025 at 11:59pm)
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