Asda offers assistants step up career ladder

Supermarket giant Asda has launched a dispensing optician scheme in a bid to help its optical assistants progress their careers. Nine employees will start an ABDO three-year distance learning course in September. They were chosen from 14 who applied after an initial 25 attended an open day in March. The three-year course demands the completion of one unit per week and four weeks' classroom time per year. On top of the course work, students must continue to work at least 30 hours per week, under the supervision of a practitioner. Asda will fund and support the students. Asda's speciality people manager Sally Mills said much was expected of the students. 'Before applying they were given a warts-and-all presentation of what is involved, then they had to successfully compete an assessment day. It is a big commitment from both sides.' Mills added that the scheme was dependent on the success of these students, but any future applicants would have to meet length of service and competency standards within an optical outlet.