Specsavers Graduate Information Evenings: A First Look at Career Opportunities

Over the past two months, the Specsavers Graduate Optometry Team has been busy hosting their annual Specsavers Information Evenings at the eight optometry schools across Australia and New Zealand. This year, the events saw nearly 300 final-year optometry students come together to learn about the many opportunities awaiting them at Specsavers.

The Specsavers Graduate Optometry Team is made up of five Graduate Recruitment Consultants, led by Graduate Recruitment Manager ANZ, Sarah Yearsley, who manage the Clinical Placement program and look after the recruitment of final year optometry students into their Industry leading Graduate Program, and four Graduate Optometry Development Managers, led by Senior Graduate Optometry Development Manager, Natasha Fernandes, who oversee the development and pastoral care of graduates undertaking the two-year Specsavers Graduate Program.

The Information Evenings marked a key milestone in our graduate recruitment journey – it’s the first major touchpoint for many of these students, setting the stage for the year ahead. Many of the students had already met the team previously, either at last year’s Specsavers Penultimate Year Social event or at recent Clinical Placement Orientations.

Each event kicked off with an engaging 2.5-hour presentation. The team shared our vision of how Specsavers is changing lives through better sight and hearing, while also offering valuable insights into what students can expect if they choose to start their graduate careers with Specsavers.

The evening wasn’t just about presentations. Over 40 support staff (from the Graduate Optometry Team, Clinical Services Team, and store representatives including our store partners, and our very own graduate and early career optometrists) attended across the eight events. They were available to provide valuable insights, support and openly answer any questions. Students also had ample opportunity to mingle, enjoy food and drinks, and interact with the team. The night concluded with a lively Q&A panel where students could ask any questions that were on their minds, including many questions about our clinical technology, our Graduate Program, and future opportunities available to them at Specsavers

Now, our Graduate Recruitment Consultants are in full swing, meeting with final-year students individually to discuss their employment preferences and help guide them toward securing their first role as newly qualified optometrists.

It’s an exciting time to be part of the Specsavers family, and we can’t wait to see the fresh talent these students will bring as they embark on their careers in optometry!