JUMP TO CONTENT
Specsavers employee in a store

What it means to be supported at Specsavers

Sam Reed our consultant managing the role
Written by Sam Reed
Posting date: 21 Mar 2024

“Anywhere I go, I want to make a difference.”

Joining Specsavers was an opportunity I never would have thought about. It started off as an accident after an initial interview, but I knew I had to take the opportunity. I flourished and now 20 years later, I’m still part of the Specsavers team. Throughout my journey, I’ve loved learning and developing myself and my team so we can provide the best care to customers.

Finding a passion for learning and development

During my career, I always asked myself “what else can I do?” So, I started going to local schools, talking about my profession and getting people to come and do work experience in my store. I had multiple students going from not knowing what they want to do, to now being optometrists. They transformed with my support and coaching, which gave me so much satisfaction. Now I coach 16- to 18-year-olds into a building a career that they enjoy, whether as an optician or something else.

Inspiring the next generation

After building my coaching capabilities up, I became a STEM Ambassador with Specsavers too, meaning I’d head to careers or school fairs. Here we have our own little stall set up where we can talk to students about elements of our job they didn’t even know existed across audiology and optics. If they’re interested, we take their details and send them more information about potential apprenticeship programmes and future careers we’ve got. Something that gives me so much joy is when I’ve had children get so inspired by the talks I give that they want to have my autograph. It’s lovely to be able to change people’s life from a young age and put a seed in their mind to tell them they can do it.

Being supported through hard times

While I make a difference to people’s lives, whether customers, my shop floor staff or Optometrist team, I need to be able to look after myself too. In 2010, I found out I had glaucoma. At the time, we never really tested our eyes as opticians but my colleague eventually tested me and said I’d lost 30% of my vision. I then had four operations and am now 50% blind. When I found out it felt like my life had just ended because there were so many things I couldn’t do. But I knew I needed to bounce back, I wanted to do more and continue to make a difference. Specsavers gave me the strength to carry on, they supported me with leaving early if I needed to and having flexibility at work. I don’t think I’d be doing what I do today without their support. Wherever I go, I talk about Specsavers.

The importance of leading with care

Whether your physical health or mental health, and whether you’re a customer or colleague, Specsavers would never allow you to burn out. They will make you feel good and like you want to do more, then when you do more you’ll feel good. When I ask the people in my store what they enjoy most about being here, they will say the culture. This is why it’s important to me that mental health is looked after. It’s why I let people have time to look after their families, so they’ll give me the time with their work. I think everybody should be where they’re happy. I give great opportunities and keep colleagues motivated and inspired with their work, so they don’t want to look elsewhere because they’re getting everything they need. And I’m really proud of my team.

Sam Reed our consultant managing the role
Written by Sam Reed
List #1

#FeelsLikeSpecsavers

“I’m a Retail Partner and Dispensing Optician Apprentice”

Teaser

Apprenticeships

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

02/07/2025

Summary

To be an apprentice you don’t need to be fresh out of education. And for Retail Partner, Jason North, he’s living proof that being a Partner isn’t the ceiling of his career journey. Becoming an Appren

Teaser

Read more
"There's always time; it's never too late"

Teaser

Apprenticeships

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

02/03/2025

Summary

There's always time; it's never too late Heather Settle aspired to be a sports photographer due to her love of sport and photography. However, half-way through University, Heather’s life changed and

Teaser

Read more
“We’ve got each other’s backs” – Lauren talks teamwork at Specsavers

Teaser

Optometry

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

01/30/2025

Summary

For Lauren Kerr, an optometrist at Specsavers Dundee, the real appeal of her role isn’t just about helping people see clearly- it’s about being part of a team that supports each other. Her journey sta

Teaser

Read more
Anoop_Pointing_At_Specsavers_Stone_Sign
“Don’t let finances hold you back” – Anoop on becoming a Partner

Teaser

Partnership

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

01/28/2025

Summary

For Anoop, becoming an Optometry Partner at Specsavers was a lifelong dream come true. While buying into a business can naturally come with some concerns, her journey highlights how she overcame tho

Teaser

Read more
Mike Davidson

by

Mike Davidson

Mike Davidson

by

Mike Davidson

“It’s such an important role” – Mia talks all things Clinical Lead

Teaser

Audiology

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

01/23/2025

Summary

Mia started her journey with Specsavers in an admin role and, after completing the Hearing Aid Dispenser Apprenticeship with the support of her store directors, fast-forward a few years and she is now

Teaser

Read more
Mike Davidson

by

Mike Davidson

Mike Davidson

by

Mike Davidson

If you feel good at work, then you want to go to work!

Teaser

Apprenticeships

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

01/10/2025

Summary

Apprenticeships are for all, not just for those fresh out of full-time education. Ian Szymanski, Hearing Care Assistant, started his apprenticeship in the autumn of 2024, despite already working at Sp

Teaser

Read more
I can give my son the life he deserves!

Teaser

Apprenticeships

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

01/06/2025

Summary

Being a working parent and striving to be the best for your child can be tough. Alex Coates, Optical Assistant, tells us why he initially chose to take on a Spectacle Technician apprenticeship with Sp

Teaser

Read more
Why I can't imagine doing anything else

Teaser

Optometry

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

12/19/2024

Summary

Why I can’t imagine doing anything elseAnish, a domiciliary optometry partner in Nottingham for over a decade, talks about why he's so passionate about home visits—and tells the unforgettable story of

Teaser

Read more
Being the first to pass is just the cherry on top!

Teaser

Apprenticeships

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

12/13/2024

Summary

Richard Hodgson, Optical Assistant, is the first Apprentice Domiciliary Optical Assistant to complete his apprenticeship – with distinction, too. He tells us why he had his sights set on the home-vis

Teaser

Read more
Molly Feltham: A passion for patient care and Cardiff

Teaser

Optometry

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

12/12/2024

Summary

A Passion for Patient Care and Cardiff Meet Molly Feltham, an optometrist at Specsavers in Cardiff.  Molly shares how working across a cluster of five stores has shaped her career and deepened her lov

Teaser

Read more
View more jobs
List #1

Selected jobs for you

Optical Assistant

Salary

£11.64 per hour

Location

Lincoln, East Midlands, United Kingdom

Contract Duration

Permanent

Area of Interest

Optical Assistant

Locations

Lincoln

Description

Optical Assistant Specsavers Lincoln (Morrisons)So, you’re a proactive people-person, passionate about retail and offering the best customer service? Sounds like you’d be a great fit here. So, if you

Reference

sf-79871-1

Expiry Date

01/01/0001

View job
Domiciliary Optical Assistant

Salary

£24,000

Location

Lancing, South East, United Kingdom

Contract Duration

Permanent

Area of Interest

Home Visits Optical Assistant

Locations

United Kingdom

Description

Role: Domiciliary Optical AssistantReady to take your skills on the road? As a home visits optical assistant at Specsavers, you can do just that.    You’ll be driving our services to the doorsteps of

Reference

sf-79870-1

Expiry Date

01/01/0001

View job
Weekend Trainee Optical Assistant

Salary

£6.60-£11.64 per hour

Location

Gateshead, North East, United Kingdom

Contract Duration

Permanent

Area of Interest

Trainee Optical Assistant

Locations

Gateshead

Description

Are you a caring individual looking to start your career as an Optical Assistant? You’ve come to the right place.  We aren’t looking for people with years of experience and heaps of qualifications, ju

Reference

sf-79577-1

Expiry Date

01/01/0001

View job
View more jobs