Optical Assistant Apprenticeship - Portslade Specsavers

Our apprenticeship gives people of all ages a chance to start an exciting career, while earning a full-time wage.

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

Requirements

• GCSE in: Maths (grade 9-4 (A*-C))
• Ability to travel to the store location on a daily basis
• Enthusiasm for providing great customer service
• Desire to pursue a career in optics

Responsibilities

• Providing customers with top-notch advice and a warm welcome
• Booking eye tests
• Pre-screening patients and measuring frames
• Ensuring smooth store operations by identifying and addressing any issues
• Delivering customer service that aligns with company values
• Identifying when and who to refer to for supervision (e.g., ocular emergencies, dispensing, collections of restricted categories)
• Working within the limits of policies, procedures, and regulated activity (e.g., GDPR, NHS, GOC, Health and Safety at Work, safeguarding)
• Following employer guidelines for presentation and teamwork
• Identifying and meeting customer needs within the optical environment
• Communicating with customers and the optical team to maximize understanding
• Referring customers needing communication support to appropriate services
• Following health and safety legislation in the optical environment
• Following safe use instructions when using optical equipment
• Following procedures for first aid, accident/incident reporting, or evacuations
• Providing information on the benefits and limitations of different services and extended services
• Offering non-prescribed products (e.g., contact lens solutions, ready readers, magnifiers)
• Selecting appointments, recall information, and maintaining accurate records on the employer’s system
• Reporting and recording ocular emergencies
• Preparing clinical records
• Completing customer pre-appointment procedures
• Validating product accuracy using product tolerances
• Using lens measuring equipment to identify prescriptions and lens measurements
• Identifying lens types and remarking lenses where required
• Interpreting spectacle prescriptions to identify suitable vision correction options
• Offering suitable lens products based on customer needs and preferences
• Offering specialised products based on customer needs and preferences
• Offering suitable frames based on customer needs and preferences
• Identifying frame fitting suitability and necessary measurements for spectacle orders
• Processing spectacle orders, payments, and arranging collections
• Identifying and checking visual acuity for near vision spectacle
• Fitting spectacle frames using questioning, measurements, and tools
• Adjusting frames correctly using tools
• Providing advice and guidance on frame fitting, lens care, and after-sales service
• Identifying guarantees and warranties of optical products
• Managing customer concerns and/or complaints in line with employer procedures
• Using problem-solving techniques to identify causes of concerns or complaints
• Communicating with customers to resolve concerns or complaints within their authority
• Following remake and repair procedures
• Recognizing and resolving customer complaints
• Participating in training and development activities
• Participating in appraisal, obtaining feedback, and using self-reflection for development
• Adapting approach for customers with ocular conditions
• Conducting screening using screening equipment and recording results
• Informing patients about screening equipment, processes, and procedures
• Gaining support from colleagues during screening when required
• Informing patients about the medical conditions that tests can check for
• Demonstrating contact lens handling, insertion, and removal to patients
• Showing patients how to care for their lenses
• Providing advice and guidance on cleaning of lenses and solution types
• Following out-of-hours emergency procedures
• Recognizing a customer’s ability to make an informed decision
• Informing the customer what the sight test includes and how it is carried out
• Working independently to plan and manage workload
• Assessing and mitigating risk in patients' homes to ensure an appropriate eye test can be delivered
• Managing own wellbeing and resources
• Maintaining team communications when working remotely