Dispensing Optician

You can get into this job through a university course.

You’ll need to complete a course approved by the General Optical Council, and pass the Professional Qualifying Examinations from the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO).

You can qualify by taking:

• a two-year, full-time diploma course, followed by one year working under supervision
• a three-year, day release course if you’re in suitable employment
• a three-year distance learning course, including a four-week residential block, offered by the ABDO – you’ll need to be in suitable employment

Entry Requirements

You’ll usually need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
• 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, including a science

You’ll need:

• customer service skills
• excellent verbal communication skills
• the ability to work well with your hands
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• maths knowledge
• the ability to work well with others
• the ability to sell products and services
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
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Registration: you’ll need to be registered with the General Optical Council

Professional and Industry Bodies: you could join the Association of British Dispensing Opticians, for professional development and training opportunities.