Explore careers at Specsavers
Graduate Optometry Program
A career with a view
Off to the best possible start
The Specsavers Graduate Program offers a fast-track to work satisfaction and success. It could even lead to you becoming a Partner within one of our stores under the Specsavers store ownership program- Pathway.
Developed by experts
A two year-long development program along with employment contract for graduates or recently qualified optometrists who are new to Specsavers
Professionally enriching
A combination of professional events, courses and experiences designed to enrich your professional life
Collective experience
Capitalising on the collective wealth of knowledge and experience of the Optometry Partner in the store you join and within the Specsavers group through active mentorship
I work in a store with up to five optometrists working at any given time. Our team has a culture that encourages continual learning and development through the regular sharing of interesting and challenging cases. Additionally, inter-practitioner observation is encouraged where I am exposed to different practice styles and receive constructive feedback on my own in a supportive and non-judgmental environment.
Patrycja Zelazny
2017 Graduate Cohort
Unique experience
As a graduate optometrist, fresh out of University, you will start work as a practicing optometrist in an owner-operated Specsavers store. You will automatically qualify for and join our Graduate Program – an unrivalled initiative of continuing professional development and career support from Specsavers. The Graduate Program is a two-year development program for graduates or recently qualified optometrists that offers a combination of professional events, courses and experiences designed specifically to enrich professional life. The Specsavers Graduate Program capitalises on the collective knowledge and experience of both in-store optometry partners and the Professional Development team.
The two year program comprises three pillars standing on the foundation of mentorship
Continuing education
and professional
development
Commercial and
inter-professional
perspective
Formal
feedback
Year 1 - Hit the ground running
The first year of the graduate program is structured to support your clinical growth and development. Tailored workshops and regular feedback sessions are held to support your clinical growth and continued development.
As newly qualified optometrists, mentorship is a key part of your learning and development. We understand the pressures you feel in the first few months of starting your new career and have developed processes to ensure you get the support you need.
The optometrist director in your store is your primary mentor. They have vast knowledge and experience and are keen to assist in your development, both personally and professionally. It is important to know you can ask for assistance of advice whenever you need it. While you may have multiple catch ups during the day, it is important to have scheduled one on one time with your primary mentor and your retail mentor.
Year 2 - Practice, practice, practice!
During the second year of the Graduate Program, you will also be focused on continuing to increase your personal effectiveness as an optometric professional. As an optometrist (no matter what your future goals are) you will be one of the most knowledgeable people in the store team and will naturally take on a leadership role. In acknowledgment of this, your second year on the Graduate Program is all about developing your leadership skills in the store environment
Shape your future with Specsavers
Specsavers Graduate Program: The benefits of ‘going regional’
Specsavers Graduate Program: Experiencing the clinical environment
Graduate Optometrists share learning from Year Two projects
The learning never ends
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is an interactive process to maintain, enhance and extend the practitioner’s knowledge, expertise and competence throughout their career. CPD is an important component in the continued provision of safe, effective and high quality optometric services. Specsavers CPD events occur throughout the year and focus on first-hand recommendations from our suppliers regarding ways to enhance customer satisfaction, ophthalmologist presentations and the RANZCO collaborative care pathways. Specsavers offers approximately 17,000 CPD points per year between online and event based activities.
Specsavers Clinical Conference
Specsavers Clinical Conference (SCC) has become the highlight of the ANZ optometry professional development calendar. A fantastic professional networking event as well as a key opportunity for optometrists to gain Australian CPD and New Zealand CD hours, SCC continues to provide professional development opportunities delivered by renowned experts in the field of ophthalmology.