Apprentice Optical Assistant

THE EYE COLLECTIVE (RUBERY) LIMITED

Birmingham, B2 4JD

Closes in 21 days (Tuesday 15 October)

Posted on 23 September 2024


Summary

A fantastic and unique opportunity has arisen for the right candidate to kickstart their Optical career with a fantastic team at a well-established Opticians and gain the Level 3 Optical Assistant Qualification. The course is 18 months long with an end point assessments period afterwards.

Annual wage
£11,648 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Optical assistant 2022 (level 3)
Hours
Shifts will be discussed at interview.

35 hours a week

Possible start date

Wednesday 16 October

Duration

1 Year 6 Months

Positions available

1

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

Throughout the course you will be completing modules that focus on screening checks, customer interactions, fitting and adjustment of spectacles, quality and governance, health and safety, materials of frames and lenses, and tools and equipment.

Duties will include:

  • Meeting and greeting customers
  • Cash handling
  • Building professional relationships with customers
  • Receptionist duties
  • Booking appointments
  • Ordering spectacles and contact lenses
  • Pretesting

Where you’ll work

1st floor

5 Lower Temple Street

Birmingham

B2 4JD

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

WOODSPEEN TRAINING 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

    • You will be completing Level 3 Optical Assistant Apprenticeship. The course is 18 months long with an end point assessments period afterwards. 
    • Training will be delivered remotely on a weekly basis with regular reviews with your tutor. 

    Requirements

    Essential qualifications

    GCSE or equivalent in:

    • English (grade 4)
    • Maths (grade 4)

    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
    • IT skills
    • Attention to detail
    • Organisation skills
    • Customer care skills
    • Problem solving skills
    • Administrative skills
    • Number skills
    • Logical
    • Team working
    • Initiative
    • Non judgemental
    • Patience

    Other requirements

    Please check travel times and public transport Must be confident in using Filing systems

    About this company

    The Eye Collective was born in 2018 when we rebranded our collection of established community practices under the same umbrella. Each of our practices has a unique story, filled with the blood, sweat and passion of the original owners that started these practices at a very different time. Our practices have been established, on average, for over 70 years. As new owners of these practices, it has been our duty and privilege to maintain the independence and community focus around these practices, whilst bringing them into our modern era - with the latest technology, processes and services that our customers have come to expect.

    https://eyecollective.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

    After this apprenticeship

    • After gaining the Level 3 Optical Assistant qualification, you can study further to become a qualified Dispensing Optician. From there, you can progress and study to become a Contact Lens Optician or Optometrist.

    Ask a question

    The contact for this apprenticeship is:

    WOODSPEEN TRAINING LIMITED

    April Morten

    April.morten@woodspeentraining.co.uk

    07483178087

    The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000278574.

    Apply now

    Closes in 21 days (Tuesday 15 October)

    When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

    After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.