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

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 Apprentice Dispensing Optician after many years in different roles at Specsavers wasn’t something he ever pictured doing. Read all about his career journey here.

My career journey to date

“My name is Jason North and I’m a Retail Director but also a Dispensing Optician Apprentice by way of upskilling. My career in retail started in 1993 as part time trolley collector for a national supermarket whilst at the local college. I then progressed into various management and support office roles. From 2006 until 2021, I’ve held several support office roles that not only gave me a great insight into the Specsavers passion for customer service and how a Specsavers store operates, but also how the unique JVP (joint-venture partnership) model works. Initially, my roles were supporting our JVP’s across the South. Then I moved into UK/ROI based roles in Business Development and Project Management before transitioning into roles that included supporting our non-UK based markets in Global Brand and store environment design.

Since January 2021 I’ve been a Joint Venture Partner in two stores and an Audiology business - I love a challenge! Being a Retail Partner, I’ve become familiar with the day-to-day operations in store as well as the challenge of running three business with my fellow Joint Venture Partners, especially as we started in the middle of a national lockdown. Whilst I was comfortable with most aspects of the customer journey, I only had a very basic knowledge of dispensing and knew I had a skills gap to fill.

Apprenticeships are for all

In 2024, the opportunity to qualify as a Dispensing Optician via a level 6 apprenticeship became available and I knew it was what I had to do: not just for my benefit, but for my colleagues, too. If I could upskill and learn how to become a qualified and registered Dispensing Optician, I could better not only support my team day to day but also in the longer term it would enable me to supervise other trainees with the various qualifications we offer. I always thought that people might find it strange that I’m a Retail Partner doing an apprenticeship – I feel there is a stigma attached to apprenticeships that they’re only for young people. Apprenticeships are for everyone at any age. So don’t let your age or position be a barrier to learning more.

Learning all over again

What I will say is that going back to structured learning again is a challenge, it’s been over 17 years since I last completed a qualification or classroom learning that takes longer than a few days. My apprenticeship is for three years! But the subject is very interesting, the course is well-structured and the support I get from my learning institution, as well as my fellow partners and colleagues, makes it much easier and manageable.

I love having apprentices in my stores

As a Retail Partner, I have seen the benefits to both individuals and the business from our Optical and Audiology apprenticeship programmes. People learn so much through our apprenticeship programmes, getting great support from our apprenticeship team with the opportunity to gain qualifications up to (and including) level 6. In turn, we get highly skilled people in our stores delivering great service to our customers. It’s a win-win situation”!