Fifty-two graduate optometrists have moved into the next stage of their Specsavers career, with the recent ‘Year Two Project’ presentations signifying the completion of their Specsavers Graduate Program journey.
The Year Two Project is designed to provide personal and professional development for graduates both within and outside of the consulting room, integrating the clinical and retail sides of optometric practice and giving them a greater understanding of store operations, key business drivers and the patient experience.
Over the last four months, the second-year graduates have applied the skills they have gained throughout the Graduate Program to plan and implement a project within their store or local community. They were asked to select a project topic that related to their own interests and focussed on further developing their skills in the clinical, retail, commercial, and professional aspects of optometry.
From 29 October to 14 November, the graduates came together in a series of state-based events to present the details of their journey and the outcomes of their projects to their fellow graduates, local Specsavers store partners, and members of the Specsavers Support Office team. The event provided an opportunity for shared learning, with attendees encouraged to think about which initiatives they could take away and implement in their own stores.
Topics selected by the graduates included improving contact lens protocols, building relationships with local healthcare practitioners, and team training with the objective of improving patient experiences and outcomes.
The presentations were assessed by a judging panel comprised of Support Office staff, who gauged each projects’ impact and alignment with Specsavers’ vision and values before naming a winner in each region.
“The format of the Year Two Projects has evolved this year, and we have increased our focus on supporting graduates to drive their own professional development in alignment with their career aspirations,” commented Sophie Stephan, Graduate Optometry Development Manager for Specsavers Australia & New Zealand.
“As the end of the two-year Graduate Program approaches, these graduates will take forth the new skills and abilities they have acquired as a result of implementing their projects as they continue their optometry careers with Specsavers.”
For further insight into the Year Two Projects and what they entail, read this month’s Specsavers Graduate Program Blog.
