Increase in total Dispensing Optician student numbers in 2024 – 25

Increase in total Dispensing Optician student numbers

Specsavers is welcoming an increase in the total number of people studying to become dispensing opticians as set out in the General Optical Council’s 2025 UK Optical Education report.

The report shows that a total of 1,139 students on dispensing optician (DO) courses in 2024-2025, an increase on the 960 figure from the previous 12-month period. It is up by more than 300 compared to the number of students in the previous years of 2022-2023 and 2021-2022.

‘As a sector, we’ve seen the number of DO fall in recent years with fewer people joining the profession – so this is good news because DOs are a vital part of the optics practice team,’ says Kirsteen Newman, head of dispensing development at Specsavers and a DO herself.

She says that the DO apprenticeship, a three-year degree level qualification, is playing a significant role in opening the profession to more people – with Specsavers proud to have a DO apprenticeship programme.

‘We’re proud of our colleagues on the course, with a first-year pass rate above 95% for the 70 DO students that we took on last year. For this year’s intake, we have more than 200 DO students – with 141 of these on the apprenticeship route.’

Specsavers is also developing a pipeline of new dispensing talent through its Cert 3 and 4 qualifications, and its specialist clinical and contact lens technician roles.

‘These are fantastic stand-alone qualifications to have in themselves – and I congratulate the many colleagues who have worked hard to gain them. They are making a difference to patient care,’ says Ms Newman.

‘These qualifications also serve as foundational pathways for colleagues aspiring to become dispensing opticians. Most of our DO students commence their studies in the second year of the programme, following attainment of a Cert 4 qualification – last year, this included 96 entrants.

‘What this is doing is helping increase the total number of people studying to become a DO. For context, the GOC report shows that alone overall Year 1 registrations were 316 in 2024/25, compared to 338  Year 1 admissions in 2023/24.’

Ms Newman acknowledges the successful cross-sector effort behind the ‘game-changing’ DO apprenticeship. ‘Such progress would not have been possible without collaboration, including input from professional organisations like ABDO, FODO – The Association for Eye Care Providers – and the GOC.

‘It matters because DOs are at the heart of patient care, offering expert, personalised guidance that helps people make the right choices for their eye health. Their expertise supports fewer spectacle remakes and better outcomes for patients – including children needing myopia management.’

She adds: ‘A further positive spin-off may be on the number of people training to be Contact Lens Opticians, with only qualified DOs able to undertake the necessary qualifications.’

‘I’m a retail partner and a dispensing optician apprentice’

Jason North, from Specsavers Yeovil, talks about how his optics career has taken him from supermarket to optical retail roles and now a clinical future

‘My career in retail started in 1993 as part time trolley collector for a national supermarket while at college. I progressed into various management and support office roles. From 2006 until 2021, I held several support office roles that gave me a great insight into the Specsavers passion for customer service and how a Specsavers practice operates – including how the unique joint-venture partnership (JVP) model works.

‘Initially, my roles were supporting our JVPs across the South of England. Then I moved into UK/ROI based roles in business development and project management before transitioning into roles that included supporting our non-UK based markets in global brand and practice environment design.

‘Since January 2021 I’ve been a JVP in two practices and an audiology business. Being a retail partner, I’ve become familiar with the day-to-day operations as well as the challenge of running three business with my fellow JVPs.

‘While I was comfortable with most aspects of the customer journey, I had a skills gap to fill when it came to dispensing. In 2024, the opportunity to qualify as a Dispensing Optician (DO) via a level 6 apprenticeship became available. I knew it was what I had to do. Not just for my benefit, but for my colleagues too.

‘If I could upskill to become a qualified and registered DO, I could better support my team day-to-day but in the longer term. It would enable me to supervise other trainees with the various qualifications we offer.

‘Apprenticeships are for everyone at any age. So don’t let your age or position be a barrier to learning more.’