As she puts it, Sara Zalewskyj used to 'flutter between jobs'. At one point she became a receptionist at an opticians, but left after 18 months to go travelling around Australia. When she came back, she worked on the front desk of a hotel. While she was there, she applied for a position with GJ Drew & Partners, an independent optical practice in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. She didn't really expect to get the job, and she certainly didn't see it as anything more than just another short-term move.
Four and a half years later, however, the story has taken a twist: not only is Zalewskyj still with GJ Drew & Partners - 'She's the leading light in our team,' says Jeremy Drew, the owner - she's studying for a foundation degree in ophthalmic dispensing with Canterbury Christ Church University. 'I want to further my career,' she says. 'I want to set up my own practice.'
What happened along the way? With the optical industry engaged in a crucial debate about the best way to attract and retain talented people, what lessons can be learned from Zalewskyj's story?
According to Drew, who spotted Zalewskyj's potential at her initial interview, a key moment came three years ago. 'We'd just moved premises and I thought it would be a good time for the staff to have some formal training.' He encouraged Zalewskyj to enrol on a Level 2 course in Optical Practice Support with the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers (WCSM). This is a tutor-supported distance learning course designed for relatively inexperienced optical assistants and receptionists. In Zalewskyj's case, it turned out to be the first stepping stone on a whole new career.
'After she got her Level 2 Certificate, Sara was hungry for more qualifications,' Drew recalls. 'She said, right, where do we go now?' A next step was the WCSM course leading to the Level 3 Optical Practice Support Certificate, which is aimed at senior assistants and practice managers.
The WCSM was incorporated in 1629 to improve the quality of life for the visually impaired. Today it has a strong focus on training and education (it also offers courses for optical technicians) and its qualifications are accredited by the regulatory authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (Ofqual, DCELLS and CCEA respectively).
'Qualifications are good for the practice, good for the public and good for the individual,' thinks Drew. 'The WCSM certificates look good on the wall, and people always ask about them. Our profession has a tendency to undersell itself, but these certificates put professionalism into the waiting room.'
Building on experience
As well as helping to attract people into the industry, the Optical Practice Support courses benefit those who are already well established within the sector. Wendy Hamilton is the practice manager at D McGovern Opticians in Strabane, County Tyrone. She has worked there for 18 years, which is eight years longer than the current owner, Donal McGovern. 'I feel like I'm part of the furniture,' she says. 'But the good thing about this job is that there's always something new to learn: a new lens, a new treatment or a new piece of equipment.'
Hamilton obtained the Level 3 Optical Practice Support qualification earlier this year. Although she already had a high level of knowledge and experience, she found the course gave her more confidence. 'I can now give much better support to patients and their families,' she explains. 'I'm able to respond to their questions. Before, even when I knew the answer, I didn't feel I was qualified to tell them things.
'I've done other courses over the past 18 years, but this has definitely been the most useful. As a practice manager, it's given me lots of ideas for improving the practice and strengthening the team.'
McGovern agrees that his practice has gained from Hamilton's studies. 'As well as containing a technical element, these are retail practice courses,' he comments. 'I always say that my practice has two parts. There's the practice part, where we do testing, and then there's a shop, where we make money. In this regard, the Optical Practice Support courses are very useful: they look at how to deal with customers and how to sell things.'
The WCSM is enrolling now for the next round of Level 2 and Level 3 Optical Practice Support courses, which begin in February 2010. Students are allocated a tutor who guides them through 27 weekly worksheets, building towards an examination in December 2010. The Level 2 examination can be taken online (subject to certain conditions), and both the Level 2 and 3 examinations are open to candidates who have not taken the course.
Full details are available on the WCSM website at www.spectaclemakers.com. ?