Becoming an apprentice can be very rewarding, including opportunities to learn practical skills, expand your professional network, and earn money while you learn. This is why it’s no surprise that apprenticeships continue to be in-demand for many Brits. During the 2022/23 academic year, 752,150 individuals participated in apprenticeships in England.
An optical assistant apprenticeship is among many opportunities that can help you learn valuable skills, especially with the growing need for eye care among the UK population. Research shows that the number of Brits living with visual impairment is projected to increase from two million to four million by 2050, highlighting a potential boom in demand for optical services.
If you’re considering becoming an optical assistant apprentice, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what you need to know about getting started:
Being an optical assistant apprentice can be a lucrative choice, with the UK eyewear market size expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% from 2024 to 2030, signalling a strong performance. This is driven by the increased accessibility of eyewear, with retailers such as Vision Direct now offering vision correction products like contact lenses online, including top brands such as Acuvue and Biofinity. These lenses can help manage eye conditions like presbyopia and astigmatism, and increased visibility of these brands may also mean increased opportunities for an apprenticeship. Optical retailers are making contact lenses and prescription glasses more accessible online and offline, helping bridge the gap between consumers and vision care.
With over 5,000 optician businesses in the UK, plenty of high-street shops are open for optical assistant apprentices. These include physical stores of top retail brands like Vision Express, which has over 500 brick-and-mortar stores in the country, or Boots, which has over 2,000 shops spread across the UK. In these eyewear retail stores, optical assistant apprentices will learn to take measurements, provide customer service, find the proper optical devices for their consumers, and explain the benefits of various ocular products to their patients’ needs. But what do you need to prepare for an optical assistant apprenticeship? Here’s what you need to know:
When preparing for your apprenticeship, it’s essential to research the industry and role you’re interested in. In this case, you can take time to read resources about the eyewear sector and what possible tasks await you to help you prepare better. You can also develop soft skills crucial for your apprenticeship, such as communication and time management, to be an asset to your workplace. Optical assistant apprenticeships in the UK typically last 15 to 18 months, so you have ample time to learn and exhibit your willingness and dedication to assist your customers with ocular concerns.
The salary may vary depending on your employer and tasks, but optical assistant apprentices can earn around £22,000 per year in some stores like Specsavers in the UK. As mentioned, you’ll learn how to interpret prescriptions and address your customers' diverse vision needs. Education requirements for an optical assistant apprenticeship may also vary. For instance, employers may require that apprentices have a General Certificate of Secondary Education. Once you get in, remember that employers value willingness to improve customer service skills, so always do your best.
Applying for an optical assistant apprenticeship is a good way to cultivate practical skills that will be helpful in the eyewear industry. As vision needs continue to grow in the UK, the role of optical assistant apprentices in helping make eye care more efficient is more crucial than ever. For more general apprenticeship tips, check out other Not Going to Uni Blog entries and resources.
