Taking your career to the next level
Our Early Career Optometry (ECO) program is designed for optometrists in the third and fourth years of their optometry career who are looking to grow their personal and clinical skills.
It’s a holistic program offering clinical and non-clinical development opportunities that allows you to tailor your own personal and professional growth with the support of your store partners.
Opportunities include clinical training, voluntary work, and upskilling in short courses from ACO and UNSW, as well as non-clinical opportunities such as financial advice and information, networking events, mentoring and developing leadership skills.
Grow your clinical skills
As part of the ECO Program, you can access a range of clinical development programs such as the Australian College of Optometry’s Advanced Certificate in Children's Vision. It’s a six-month program with CPD hours attached and covers abnormal binocular vision, paediatric amblyopia, strabismus, nystagmus, learning related vision problems, myopia control and paediatric ocular disease. We also offer opportunities to undertake outreaches in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji through the Fred Hollows Foundation and Lions Eyes for Sight.
Grow personally
You’ll have opportunities to grow personally as part of the ECO program. There’s a wealth of learning opportunities and resources covering everything from financial wellbeing to presentation skills along with opportunities to work with patient support bodies supporting patients in our communities.
Find support every day
A key part of our ECO offering is our dedicated mentoring program. Bringing together ECOs and senior optometrists, our mentoring program will help you build strong relationships with experienced leaders. In-region ECO networking events help to strengthen important relationships across our ECO community. Your mentor will learn about you and help you set up career development pathways that are tailored to your needs and interests.
Jordan Marr shares his Pathway experience
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Teaser
Early careersContent Type
BlogPublish date
10/21/2026
Summary
Early in his university studies, Jordan Marr, Optical Director at the Specsavers Lismore store, was already thinking about his future optometry career direction. “I had read about Specsavers and inve
From Pathway to Partnership! Rob Devonport's story
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Teaser
Early careersContent Type
BlogPublish date
10/21/2026
Summary
Introducing Robert Cockerell Retail Store Partner at Specsavers Devonport With over eleven years at Specsavers, Rob’s career has been anything but linear and that’s exactly what makes his journey so
Specsavers Clinical Conference celebrates 15 years of advancing eye care
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Teaser
OptometryContent Type
BlogPublish date
09/24/2026
Summary
1000 optometrists, ophthalmologists, industry experts and suppliers from across Australia and New Zealand gathered on the Gold Coast this weekend for the 15th annual Specsavers Clinical Conference (SC
Specsavers 2026 Excellence Award Winners Announced
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Teaser
OptometryContent Type
BlogPublish date
09/24/2026
Summary
Specsavers Australia and New Zealand proudly celebrated the winners of its four prestigious clinical awards at the Specsavers Clinical Conference (SCC) on the Gold Coast this weekend, recognising outs
Specsavers named Australia's Best Place to Work for 2026
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Teaser
Life at SpecsaversContent Type
BlogPublish date
09/23/2026
Summary
Specsavers has been named Australia's Best Workplace™ for 2026 by Great Place to Work®, ranking first nationally in the large business category. The recognition is based on the confidential experience
Changing lives through better hearing - starting with yours
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Teaser
AudiologyContent Type
BlogPublish date
06/24/2026
Summary
At Specsavers Audiology, our purpose is simple: Changing lives through better hearing. And we know that starts with great people. Hearing loss isn’t just about ears. It’s about connection, helping
Why Isabelle has no regrets about joining Specsavers
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Teaser
AudiologyContent Type
BlogPublish date
06/01/2026
Summary
For Isabelle Batty, audiology has always been more than just a career, it’s personal.“My initial interest in audiology came from my own experience,” she recalls. “When I was in primary school, I was a
Specsavers Audiology Continues to be Recognised for Trusted Service in Australia and New Zealand
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Teaser
Life at SpecsaversContent Type
BlogPublish date
03/24/2026
Summary
Specsavers has been awarded a Highly Commended title in the Audiology Services category in the 26th Annual Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Brands survey, reinforcing its reputation as a trusted provide
Specsavers Clinches Most Trusted Optometry Brand Title for the Seventh Consecutive Year
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Teaser
Life at SpecsaversContent Type
BlogPublish date
02/24/2026
Summary
Specsavers has once again secured its place as the Most Trusted Optometry Brand in both Australia and New Zealand, as recognised by Reader’s Digest Magazine in the 26th Annual Most Trusted Brands sur
Shan Leng: Paving the Way for Women in Tech
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Teaser
Support OfficeContent Type
BlogPublish date
01/19/2026
Summary
In the late 1980s, as a child growing up in Singapore, Shan Leng’s parents encouraged her to explore Information Technology, a relatively new industry and one that was quite different to the more trad
