Optical assisstant Review
at Specsavers
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Customer Service
Chatham
Review Submitted: May 2025
Overall Rating
4.7 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
4/5
-
Overview of Role
5/5
-
Skills Development
4.4/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
as an oa, we have many roles which include dispensing, booking in, clinical pre-testing, collections as well as repairs and adjustments. we are the first staff members that customers are most likely to come into contact with first so it is ideal to leave a good first impression.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I enjoy the practical side of the programme as we do a lot of on the job learning which is where I find I learn the best and the learning time i get per week helps me solidify that knowledge.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I have developed my maths skills whilst being a dispenser as we work out pricing and offers for customers but also my english and customer service skills whilst being fact to face with the public daily but I have also broadened my knowledge of the eye and optical services.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
always get my learning time off of shopfloor and it is a good mix of work like research tasks and a do it yourself worksheet which gives us the confidence to use our knowledge on shop floor with customers. we also have easy access to optoms who are happy to help if we have any questions.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
they are very supportive in terms of making sure we get enough time to complete our work and giving us extra time off of shop floor if we need. we are also able to go to other staff members for help such as dispensing opticians, optometrists or even other apprentices on the same course as us for extra guidance.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
they do regular check inns to see how we are progressing and if we need any extra support, we often speak about career progression and next steps on our monthly quarterly reviews which is ressuring.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
the qualification gives us a little more background knowledge and insight behind optical services and dispensing a range of different people and being able to suggest contact lenses. this aids us in giving the customer a better service as we are able to explain why we do things.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
5/5
at work there are many different social activities such as our annual Christmas party which other store branches, or our instore christmas party evening, summer party but also socials outside of those times like doing escape rooms. there are also a few events ran by the company themselves which have incentives.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Specsavers to a friend?
Yes
Why?
good for people who want to get their foot into optics and also is entry level, a good career pathway which always allows you to continue progressing and explore many different fields.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Specsavers?
be yourself, show off your customer service skills- being empathetic, caring, easy to get along with but also show that your keen to learn and are interested in customer needs.
