Apprentice Optical Assistant

Summary

As part of our team, you'll have more responsibility and involvement, playing a vital role in ensuring our customers feel special. With guidance from your store manager and our apprenticeship team, you'll learn the ins and outs of bringing our brand to life, selecting the right products, and delivering personalised experiences.

Wage

£17,212 a year

Training course

Optical assistant 2022 (level 3)

Hours

Working week to be confirmed at interview.

38 hours 45 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 2 November 2026

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

It's all about teamwork in an optician's practice. There are many roles, but you support each other to ensure your customers get the best experience possible. Optical assistants are a very important part of any optical practice and crucial to the customer journey. Individuals with a real passion for both healthcare and retail thrive in this role, as it's perfect for those who love to make a real difference in other people's lives.

The duties within this role include:

• Greeting customers in a professional and friendly manner as they enter the practice.
• Interpreting and understanding a clinically issued prescription, its effects on the eye, and the customer's vision.
• Helping customer's select spectacle frame(s) that are suitable in terms of comfort, looks good and fits lifestyle requirements.
• Be able to explain the features and benefits of particular frames, using non-technical customer friendly language.
• Measuring the frames and ensure they are a suitable size for a customer and can accommodate their lenses.
• Adjusting customers spectacle frames using the correct tools to ensure stability and comfort.
• Basic frame repairs.
• Have a good knowledge of Ophthalmic lenses, tints and coatings to be able to meet visual / lifestyle requirements.
• Ordering prescription glasses and contact lenses in for the customer.
• Correct completion of NHS paperwork and written records in-line with company procedures.
• Making follow up appointments for customers.
• Use a focimeter to find the prescription from spectacles.
• Communicate contact lenses suitability, features and benefits.
• Carrying out pre-screening tests such as retinal imaging and pressure and visual field testing.
• Explaining offers and products to customers.
• Taking payments from customers.
• Being able to problem solve with basic optical concerns
• Understanding business KPI's and how they affect the practices profitability

Where you'll work

120-121 Broad Street
Reading
RG1 2BD

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)

What you'll learn

• 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

This training schedule has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade Grace 4/C or above)
• Maths (grade Grace 4/C or above)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Customer care skills
• Team working
• Initiative