How Sarita Harrar’s locum DO experience helps her find candidates for Woodspeen Training’s Optical Assistant Apprenticeship.

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I “fell” into optics in 1996. I was a bookworm at school – all I did was read and study. I sailed through my GCSEs, but A-Levels were something else. I don’t think I picked the right subjects for me. But being from an Indian background, not getting into university was not an option! I remember A-Level results day, walking home slowly with a copy of The Guardian (I think) in a rather depressed and desperate state, looking at the clearing options.

One place I called was Anglia Polytechnic University (now Anglia Ruskin University), which offered a degree in Ophthalmic Dispensing with Biomedical Science. That appealed to me! I applied and got on the course. I then did my DO pre-reg in west London and began working there.

After around three years, I moved up to the Midlands, where I started working as a locum DO. That turned out to be a game changer! It gave me freedom – every day was different. I had regular places of work, made lots of friends, and I loved it. One friend I made was Kay Bagshaw, who eventually found her calling when she joined Woodspeen Training as an Optical Skills Tutor. I could feel her excitement for the job – I told her to keep me in mind for anything that came up. Soon enough, she called and asked if I was interested in applying for a business development position. Unbeknownst to me, it was my dream role!

Now, as Woodspeen Training’s Optical Business Development Manager, I’m on a mission to spread the word about our Level 3 Optical Assistant Apprenticeship. It can be used as a step to the Ophthalmic Dispensing degree or the ABDO Dispensing Optician course. There are so many paths the learner’s academic journey can take – to OA, DO, CLO, even optometrist. The aim of the apprenticeship is not to confuse and overwhelm students with ophthalmic lens equations, step along, and ray tracing, but to provide them with skills that allow them to feel competent with everyday tasks, such as varifocal dispensing and managing non-tol issues.

The course is unique in that it is devised and delivered by practicing DOs; it’s designed to build confidence in the practice environment and offer “layered learning” – every week adds on to what students have learnt in the weeks before. There are also modules on eye anatomy and – for aspiring practice managers/supervisors – business and KPIs. It’s worth knowing that every practice in the country can take advantage of government funding to upskill existing staff. If the apprentice is aged 16–18, our course is 100 percent funded for the entire 18-month duration. If they are 19 or over, it costs the practice just £480. If necessary, Woodspeen can help you recruit an OA Apprentice – free of charge.

Practice owners, managers, and staff deliver the best possible experience when they understand patient and customer needs, so we teach the practical skills and behaviors required in an optical environment. Working as a locum for more than 20 years (as I still do today), I’ve come across many different personalities and learned a lot about the types of people who work well in a practice. So, while I was uncertain of my own options at age 16–18, I can now see straight away if someone is cut out for a role in optics – even if I only talk to them on the phone. I love using this skill to get young people on a career path that’s right for them.