where a career as an optical assistant can take you.

(spoiler: further than you think!)

If you’re working as an Optical Assistant, chances are you already enjoy the work you do – helping patients, being part of a close-knit team, and making a real difference every day.

But here’s the exciting bit: being an Optical Assistant isn’t a final destination. It’s a brilliant starting point and there are more routes open to you than you might think.

Whether you've been wondering:

• Can you progress as an Optical Assistant?

• Can an Optical Assistant become a Dispensing Optician?

• Can an Optical Assistant become an Optometrist?

The answer is yes. Yes. And absolutely yes. Let's break it down 👇

career progression options for optical assistants.

You’ve already built a solid foundation – gaining hands-on skills, working with patients, and developing people and technical skills every day. That experience can open the door to several career paths, depending on where you want to go next.

1. become a dispensing optician.

For many people, this is the most natural next step. With the right support and study time, you can become a qualified Dispensing Optician – a protected title that comes with more responsibility, better pay, and a lot more autonomy.

Here’s what the journey usually looks like:

• Completing Level 3 and Level 4 Certificates in Optical Dispensing (also known as Cert 3 or Cert 4). These qualifications help formalise everything you’ve learned in practice, build confidence, and prepare you for more senior roles.

• From there, the next step is the FBDO diploma (Fellowship of British Dispensing Opticians) – a part-time course that typically takes three years, allowing you to earn while you learn.

Once qualified, you can explore specialist routes such as:

• Contact Lens Optician (CLO)

• Paediatric Dispensing

• Clinical supervision

• Practice Management

Some Dispensing Opticians even go on to become Optometrists – either by returning to university or entering postgraduate pathways that recognise their prior experience.

2. step into management: team leader, assistant manager, or practice manager.

If you're someone who thrives on solving problems, supporting others, and keeping things running like clockwork on the shop floor – a move into management might be right up your street.

These roles typically don’t require formal qualifications. What matters most is your ability to: 

✅ Communicate clearly

✅ Motivate and support team members

✅ Keep things running smoothly day to day

Some employers also offer leadership training or internal development programmes to help you grow into the role.

3. train to become an optometrist (the longer-term route).

Yes, it’s a longer path – and more academically demanding – but it’s definitely doable. To become an optometrist, you’ll need to:

• Complete a degree in Optometry (typically a 3-year full-time course)

• Undertake a pre-registration year to gain practical experience and pass the GOC’s final assessment

If you don’t currently meet the university entry requirements, you can explore access courses or foundation years. Some choose to study part-time while continuing to work – easing the financial pressure and allowing you to build on your current experience.

It’s a big commitment, but it’s far from impossible – especially with the right support behind you.

the takeaway?

You can progress – and you don’t need to wait for permission.

If no one’s motioned these routes to you before, it doesn’t mean they’re not available. Career progression doesn’t have to be a vague promise or a distant ‘maybe one day’. With the right plan (and the right employer), it can be real, structured, and well within reach.

how talentshed helps make it happen.

When you work with us, we don’t just ask where you want to work – we ask where you want to go. Whether you’re looking for qualifications, more responsibility, or simply a better environment to grow in, we help you:

✅ Understand your options

✅ Find roles and employers that genuinely support development

✅ Get straight answers about training and progression – not just promises

✅ Build a path that works for you

We don’t just take employers at their word either – we ask:

• "What training and qualifications do you offer, and when?"

• "What does real progression look like in your practice?"

• "Can you share examples of someone who’s progressed recently?"

Because if we’re recommending a role to you, we want to know you’ll be backed by people who mean it.

take control of your career (even if you’re not job-hunting).

You don’t need to be actively job-hunting to start thinking about where you want to go next. We’re here to help you explore your options, understand what’s possible, and show you what’s out there.

Share what you’re looking for and we’ll help you take the next step.

Or if you’re just curious for now, click here to stay in the loop on future opportunities.