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

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 Specsavers for almost 13 years. He tells us why he’s chosen to upskill via an apprenticeship to become a qualified Hearing Aid Dispenser.

Trying new things

I was working as a Lab Technician at another opticians in Poland before moving to the UK in 2011. When I relocated, I took on the role of a Lab Manager at a local Specsavers store where I stayed for just under four years. I wanted a change, so I took the plunge and went to another competitor to become a store manager. Alas, this didn’t work out, so I moved to another role at a small optical company in London before making my timely return to Specsavers. I had decided I didn’t want to pursue management roles anymore, and I wanted to move away from the lab, so I took on the role of an Optical Assistant. I loved my role and was a valued colleague – I wasn’t rushed by management and was able to spend good time with my customers. Though I wanted to focus more on the clinical side of things. I considered studying to become a Dispensing Optician, but it wasn’t quite right for me. I also knew that becoming a fully qualified Optometrist wouldn’t have been my desired career move.

Have you heard about audiology?

I was on the fence as to whether I should leave the optics industry completely to try something new, or if I should try to make a move to a more clinical role. After speaking with my manager about my quandary, they floated the idea of audiology past me. That certainly piqued my interest. It was brand new to me, meaning I’d have to start from scratch (besides the foundations I already had for providing good customer service). But it turned out audiology was exactly what I’d been looking for. As I’m motivated by helping people, the prospect of being able to help people hear more clearly again really excited me. After some time spent looking into the function and opportunities available to me, I knew I wanted to be a Hearing Aid Dispenser.

Although that opportunity wasn’t immediately available to me, I was offered the position of Trainee Hearing Care Assistant as recommended by my director in 2021. This position gave me the solid foundations of audiology which hugely helped with my learning and minimised the risk of being overloaded with information. The store I worked in was extremely busy, but I was still given time to job shadow and spend precious days with experienced audiologists for training purposes. My supervisor was excellent – the training was extremely thorough, and they put me in every possible position I could encounter so I knew fully what to expect and how to handle various situations. Time in the audiology test room was also very well spent.

Becoming an apprentice

Due to unforeseen circumstances, it did take longer than expected to complete the course. However, I was thrilled to pass and become a qualified Hearing Care Assistant in 2023. Still determined to become a Hearing Aid Dispenser (HAD), a little further down the line I was grateful to be offered an apprenticeship to upskill and gain the necessary HAD qualification within the home-visits team. I started this in the autumn of 2024 with the aim to complete this by 2026. My apprenticeship is awesome! Mondays and Tuesdays I work side-by-side with my supervisor, testing and fitting NHS hearing aids. Wednesday to Friday I am out on my own driving around Yorkshire, visiting patients to carry out aftercare appointments, wax removal, and private fittings. It’s really busy, but I absolutely love life on the road and managing my own days.

Although being in-store was great, surrounded by fun colleagues who make the days fly by, I enjoy the sense of freedom being out and about. I can put the radio on, stop when I need to, and manage my own workload. With the apprenticeship, I’m given appropriate study time and have regular catch ups with my supervisor to test my knowledge, discuss performance, and chat about how things are going. I have access to the university’s online resources and the vast material within their digital library which is beneficial for my learning.

The most rewarding career

Life in audiology home visits is extremely rewarding. People in general don’t tend to realise the potential for audiology services and how many people can be helped. In my team, we often see people in care homes and those who are in end-of-life care – the difference we make by enabling them to be able to hear their relatives speaking to them, potentially for the last time, is unmatched. My colleagues and director all work together as one brilliant team. It’s important to have good people around you, especially when things can get tough. If you feel good at work, then you want to go to work. As the old saying goes, if you love your job then you’re not going to work a day in your life. And honestly, I love what I do!

What’s next for me?

Life beyond the apprenticeship is an exciting concept. I foresee myself as working as a qualified HAD for a while. As it’s a clinical role, it’s crucial I get the necessary experience to be able to do the job well. It’s likely I’d consider continuing down the clinical route, as opposed to a managerial role again, or the pathway to directorship at this point. I could consider becoming an examiner further down the line, where I could train clinical colleagues, passing on knowledge and experience to future generations. I’m genuinely excited to see what the future holds for me and my family, thanks to my apprenticeship.