Careers award for ABDO

For the second year running, the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) has won an award for its Careers in Eyecare campaign.

ABDO is the winner of the Creating Opportunity #YouthFriendlyEmployer Award. The award was presented on 7 December by the Minister for Employment, Mims Davies MP, in an online ceremony, at the Youth Employment UK Youth Friendly Employer Awards.

Laura-Jane Rawlings CEO of Youth Employment commented, “ABDO has provided opportunities for young people to gain the skills and experience they need, raising their aspirations and personal networks. As the 2021 Creating Opportunity #YouthFriendlyEmployer Award winner, they have collated industry and professional partners to highlight eyecare careers. Their campaign has reached over eight thousand professionals to help guide them on creating youth opportunities.”

The Careers in Eyecare campaign promotes careers across the sector, highlighting the range of clinical, fashion, design, technical and retail roles available. It was launched in 2020 and maximises the use of social media to reach out to young people, parents and careers advisers, and those looking to change career.

Responding to the award at the event, Antonia Chitty, ABDO Head of Communications and IT said, “We are thrilled to receive this award. We couldn’t have done it without the widest support from across the eyecare community. A particular thank you must go to our sponsors, Stepper (UK) Limited, Specsavers and Woodspeen Training who have backed the campaign in 2021 and allowed us to extend our reach. Our ambition is that every young person is aware of the great range of careers available in eyecare. There are plenty of entry level opportunities and a solid career pathway, ensuring every young person who enters the world of eye care can develop their skills, achieve qualifications, and reach their full potential.”

Nick Walsh, ABDO Head of Corporate Development says, “We identified Youth Employment UK as a key partner for our campaign two years ago because of their existing careers hub and the way they ensure that young people have a voice in shaping their activities. This is an incredibly valuable partnership for ABDO, and it is great that Youth Employment UK has recognised ABDO’s commitment to highlighting careers with this award. We look forward to taking Careers in Eyecare further in future and welcome support from anyone in the eyecare and eyewear sector.”