Careers in the frame for Cannock optical teams

Specsavers in Cannock Town Centre and its sister store inside Sainsbury’s on Voyager Drive are celebrating six colleagues who have excelled through recent qualifications and apprenticeships.

At the Cannock Town Centre store, Millie Bucknall and Steph Forrest have successfully passed their Level 4 optical assistant qualification, building on the strong foundation laid with their previous Level 3 qualifications.

‘After passing Cert 3, I decided to take on Cert 4,’ says Millie. ‘The course gave me more detailed knowledge about my day-to-day role and a deeper understanding of the products we offer. I feel much more confident when speaking with customers and helping them with any problems they may be experiencing with their vision.

‘Cert 4 has helped me to advise and support the dispensing team too, which is incredibly rewarding – I’m really passionate about helping people, whether they are customers or colleagues. As I continue developing at Specsavers, I’d love to explore a role in management.’

A further success story, Jessica Wise, has completed her Customer Service Apprenticeship.

‘The apprenticeship opened up a whole new world for me,’ she says. ‘It really improved my confidence and taught me how to adapt my communication style to suit different people. I’ve always done diagnostics, welcomes and collections – but this programme helped me understand customers and the business much better.

‘I love it when customers remember me and thank us for the service we’ve provided – it’s incredibly fulfilling. We’re not just offering a service; we’re supporting their health, and seeing their smiles when their hearing or vision is restored is amazing.

‘In the future, I’d love to become an optician. I didn’t do A-Levels because I came into work straight from school, but I’ve got my sights set on becoming a Clinical Technician next. I’ve already started learning dispensing and, although I’m still practising, I can do PDs (pupillary distance measurement, which ensures glasses sit in the correct position in front of the eyes) and enter everything onto the system. From there, I’d like to gain Cert 3 and 4 in dispensing, and then go on to qualify as a dispensing optician – all to help me work towards becoming an optician one day.’

Another member of the Cannock Voyager team, Donna Brown, recently completed her Cert 3 qualification and is already considering her next steps.

‘Being Cert 3 qualified means I now have more in-depth knowledge about customers’ prescriptions and can offer better support with dispensing,’ explains Donna. ‘I also feel more confident when discussing lens options and eye conditions with customers - including what to recommend and why - and I feel better equipped to help when someone has an issue with their glasses.

‘I love helping people. When someone comes to collect their glasses and their face lights up because of how much they help – it’s a great feeling.

‘My advice to anyone considering taking their Cert 3 qualification is to go for it! The course increases your knowledge and helps you to identify opportunities to help customers’, as well as giving you greater clinical insight. I’m now looking at progressing to Cert 4, and possibly taking on the dispensing optician course too.’

Meanwhile, Nicola Tunnicliff is being celebrated for passing her Audiology Practitioner exam in February, a huge milestone that now enables her to carry out triage and repair appointments. Nicola began her career in optics before transitioning into the hearing care side of the business, initially as a member of the admin team.

The team is also proud to highlight optometrist, Sennah Ali, who recently completed her Professional Certification in Glaucoma with Aston University. This advanced training has provided her with deeper knowledge of the condition, enabling earlier detection and better patient outcomes.

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in the UK. It develops when the optic nerve becomes damaged, often due to increased pressure in the eye. Because symptoms can go unnoticed until vision is affected, early detection through routine eye exams is crucial. Having an optometrist like Sennah, who is trained to identify and manage glaucoma at an earlier stage, means patients at Specsavers Cannock benefit from more proactive, potentially sight-saving care.

Store director at Specsavers Cannock, Jaspreet Dhaliwal, says: ‘We’re incredibly proud of Millie, Steph, Jessica, Donna, Nicola and Sennah. Their enthusiasm and growth is an inspiration to the whole team. Apprenticeships and development programmes at Specsavers are a great opportunity for members of the team to succeed in their careers, and these three are perfect examples of what can be achieved.’

Apprenticeships available through Specsavers offer the chance to learn in a structured environment, providing hands-on experience, great training and a qualification at the end of it. The apprenticeships are open to anyone over the age of 16 and learners can gain a nationally recognised certificate at the end of the program. Apprentices are given responsibilities as training progresses and there are plenty of opportunities to develop further after completing the training.

Anyone interested in applying for an apprenticeship with Specsavers can visit: https://join.specsavers.com/uk/apprenticeships

To book an eye test or hearing check at Specsavers Cannock Town Centre, call 01543 462232 or visit: https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/cannock

To contact Specsavers Cannock Voyager (Sainsbury’s), call 01543 462232 or visit: https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/cannockvoyager