I can give my son the life he deserves!

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 Specsavers and how completing this has positively impacted his future life goals.

I wanted something hands-on

“I chose to do the Spectacle Technician apprenticeship as I wanted to do something hands-on, and I thought that optics would be a fascinating industry to learn and be a part of. I successfully completed my 18-month apprenticeship with months to spare because I was eager to get stuck in, and Specsavers supported me to do my final assessments early (of which I proudly achieved 100% in all areas).

There’s life beyond the apprenticeship

In my interview for the apprenticeship, the director spoke about career opportunities beyond the apprenticeship. So, when I completed the course, I had a chat with my director about my career goals, and they fully supported me with my learning and development to get me to where I wanted to be. Two years on, I’m now one of the more senior Optical Assistants on my way to completing my cert 4 course earlier than planned. I’m keen to finish this soon so I can get my bridging course completed in time to start my Dispensing Optician course this September.

Hard work pays off

I’m so appreciative that my degree and further qualifications have been funded by Specsavers, and now my future is laid out ready for the taking. All I have to do is continue to work hard, collaborating with our incredible training and education teams and using the materials that Specsavers provide. In time, I’ll be a fully qualified Optometrist with no student or university loans to pay back. Had I not found this opportunity then I would never have been able to get a degree. Being a parent who juggles school runs would have rendered attending university and keeping up with the workload impossible. Especially with having to work to survive and keep a roof over our heads.

A bright future thanks to Specsavers

Without the Spectacle Technician apprenticeship, my future would look a lot bleaker, and my son would be a lot worse off for it later in life. Now, I have the prospect of one day getting a mortgage, owning a home we can call our own, and giving my son the life he deserves. Thank you, Specsavers.”