Optical assistant 2022
Level 3 · AdvancedHealth and science 1.5 yr typical
About this apprenticeship
What it involves
Optical assistants help customers in optical practices choose and purchase prescription glasses, contact lenses, and optical accessories, supporting optometrists and dispensing opticians. Apprentices learn optical science, frame dispensing, pre-screening, and customer consultation skills. The role can progress to a dispensing optician qualification or practice management.
On the job
What you’ll learn
Basic optics and how spectacles and contact lenses correct vision
Reading and interpreting optical prescriptions
Frame selection, fitting, and adjusting spectacles
Contact lens types and aftercare advice
Pre-screening tests and preparation for eye examinations
Customer service and professional standards in optics
On the job
What you’ll do day to day
Welcome patients and assist them in choosing frames
Take facial measurements for accurate spectacle dispensing
Explain prescriptions and lens options to customers
Adjust and repair spectacle frames
Carry out pre-screening tests such as tonometry and auto-refraction
Order spectacles and contact lenses and advise on collection and care
The deal
How this apprenticeship works
You earn a wage from day one. You are a paid employee, not a student. There are no tuition fees - the training is funded by your employer and the government.
About 20% is “off-the-job” training. Roughly a day a week is spent learning away from your normal duties - at a college, training provider, or online - working towards a recognised qualification.
It ends with an end-point assessment (EPA). Near the end, an independent assessor checks you can do the job to the national standard - through tests, a project, a portfolio or an interview. Pass it and you are fully qualified.
How to get there
What you need to start
Level 3 (Advanced) - roughly A-level level. Employers usually look for some GCSEs (often English & maths around grade 4/C) or a Level 2 apprenticeship first. English & maths can sometimes be finished during training.
What’s next: Can lead to a Level 4/5 (Higher) apprenticeship, or straight into the role.
Entry requirements are set by each employer and can vary - always check the specific vacancy.
Hear from employers
What it’s really like
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