Optical Assistant Apprentice
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
Specsavers Wellingborough
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. If you've ever considered a career in optics, this Optical Assistant Apprenticeship could be perfect for you.
Our Apprenticeship scheme gives people of all ages the chance to boost their existing skillset and kickstart an exciting new career as part of a forward-thinking business, all whilst earning a full-time wage.
We are currently looking for individuals who are enthusiastic about providing great customer service and would like to pursue a career in retail, management or optics.
Our team
We have a wonderful team of dedicated people in our store ready and waiting for you to meet.
What's on offer?
As well as all the support you need and great training and development opportunities, we have a whole load of benefits on offer for you to enjoy. These include:
- Salary of £8.20 per hour
- Working hours of 37.5 per week
- 28 days holiday - Enjoy an additional paid day off on your birthday to celebrate you!
- We will auto-enroll you into the pension scheme with an employer contribution when you contribute too
- Specsavers Perks - a portal to a world of great everyday discounts and savings
- WeCare - our employee support service to help you and your immediate family when you need it most
- Complimentary subscription to the Headspace app
- Eyecare and hearcare discounts for you and your family
Who is this Apprenticeship for?
If this is still sounding like a bit of you, we do need you to have a few skills to get started as an Optical Assistant Apprentice.
- Individuals with GSCE Maths at Grade 9-4 (A*-C), or an equivalent level qualification
- Individuals who have lived in the EU for 3 years or more, with the right to work in the UK
- What does the role involve?
- Welcoming customers into store
- Booking in eye tests
- Pre-screening patients
- Providing style advice
- Measuring frames
- Taking phone calls
Find out more
Ready to kickstart your career with a company that will support you to be the best you can be? For more detailed information about the Specsavers Apprenticeship programme, please click the link below.
Apprenticeships at Specsavers | Specsavers UK Careers
It's essential that you haven't previously worked in the Optical Sector. Before applying, please check that you are able to travel to the store location on a daily basis.
Got what we're looking for? This job will close when it's filled, so don't delay, apply today!
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Highlight any customer-facing retail or service experience at the top of your CV — the advert explicitly asks for passion for customer service and retail.
📊 Quantify any previous customer service experience: e.g. 'Served 50+ customers daily in a busy retail environment, maintaining a 95% positive feedback score'.
🎯 Mention your GCSE Maths grade (Grade 4/C or above) clearly in your education section, as this is a stated entry requirement for the programme.
🌐 Emphasise any experience welcoming or guiding members of the public, even in voluntary or informal settings, as the role involves welcoming customers and booking eye tests.
🤝 Note your willingness to learn and develop within optics — the advert stresses career progression into retail management or optics, so frame your CV around ambition and adaptability.
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Welcomed and assisted 60+ customers per shift in a busy retail setting, consistently receiving positive feedback and contributing to a 4.8-star store rating.
- •Managed appointment bookings and telephone enquiries for a 10-person team, reducing scheduling errors by 20% through accurate record-keeping.
- •Provided personalised product advice to customers, supporting a 15% uplift in add-on sales over a 3-month period.
Free to copy — tailoring requires a 30-sec CV upload.
Your cover letter is ready
We've drafted a cover letter for Specsavers. Preview the opening, then unlock the full personalised version.
Letter preview — tailored to Specsavers
Dear Hiring Manager,
Specsavers' Optical Assistant Apprenticeship in Wellingborough stands out as the ideal starting point for a career in optics — combining structured on-the-job training with real patient interaction from day one. Having developed strong customer service skills and a genuine interest in retail, I am confident I can contribute to your store team while building the optical knowledge your programme provides.
My background in customer-facing environments has equipped me with the communication skills needed to welcome patients, handle telephone enquiries and provide style advice with confidence. I hold GCSE Maths at Grade C, meeting the programme's entry requirement, and I am committed to completing the apprenticeship to the highest standard.
Free signup, no card needed. Export to PDF/Word requires a £1.99 trial (14 days).
Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›What do you understand by the term 'pre-screening' in an optical context?
- ›How would you accurately measure a customer's frame size to ensure a correct fit?
- ›What steps would you take when booking a patient in for an eye test?
- ›How would you handle a phone call from a customer asking about their prescription?
- ›What do you know about the range of optical products Specsavers offers?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you delivered excellent customer service — what did you do and what was the outcome?
- ›Describe a situation where you had to deal with a difficult or upset customer. How did you handle it?
- ›Give an example of when you worked as part of a team to achieve a shared goal.
- ›Tell me about a time you had to learn something new quickly. How did you approach it?
- ›Describe a moment when you went above and beyond what was expected of you in a work or voluntary setting.
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you delivered excellent customer service — what did you do and what was the outcome?
Describe a situation where you had to deal with a difficult or upset customer. How did you handle it?