David

[ubereglu]

Well some of you may know that I'm in Year 11 and a while back I was wondering what I should do for work experience. Well in the end I went to one of the independent chains of opticians in town for a week and have just completed it-as of yesterday.

 

Optometry is something I had been thinking about going into for a while, the past few years in fact, but I was having an open mind and thinking about other things at the time too. However after getting really involved over the past week and soaking up new information I think I'd really like to do it!

 

Some of you may not know how indecisive I am so this is a massive breakthrough. Have been on another forum and someone had written that you could only go into optometry if you're really passionate about it-well I think I am and have come out from the week loving the idea-although I know it will be an awful lot of work.

 

Where did you all go for work experience and what were the outcomes?

 

Are any of you in optics?

[Looney]

Sounds like you really enjoyed the experience Liz - great news

 

Are you good at Physics? I seem to think you need Physics (and Maths)???

 

My friend and I did a parent swap for work experience. I worked in the Pre-prep bit of her Dad's school and she spent her time in the Dental Department of the local hospital with my Mum. Both of us enjoyed our experiences but neither of us chose the jobs in question! In fact we both ended up working for the Government

 

If you are keen on Optometry it is worth researching further and chatting to current students and Optometrists (sp?) about their experiences. Also worth checking what study is involved

 

[redhotchick]

I am not in Optometry but have met a lot of people who are.

It seems like a really good career choice to me. A lot of studying, but a fulfilling job at the end. The optometrists that I met were all working overseas (In the Caribbean!) and they loved it!

[ubereglu]

Sounds like you really enjoyed the experience Liz - great news

 

Are you good at Physics? I seem to think you need Physics (and Maths)???

 

I did really enjoy it and it helped that the people I was with wanted to get me involved as much as possible. At A level I need to do Physics, Maths and Biology-this is fine as I'm good at science and am luckily doing triple science-which means I get GCSE's in all three subjects, so that it handy. I've already done my maths GCSE and got an A* too.

 

I've already started researching what the course is like-it's usually three years with a pre-reg year-all opticians have to be registered with the GOC before they can properly practice. I was talking to the newly qualified optometrist whilst I was there and she really enjoyed the course and went to City university, she said it was a lot of work and that the past few weeks where she'd been waiting to know if she'd become registered were the most stressful.

[Lewis]

The first week of my school work experience was working backstage in a production of OLIVER!, and the second week was with Guide Dogs; training them, walking them, socialising etc.I got to do a couple of blind folded walks, which were stange! It was really hard to put my full confidence in the dog, but they were fanstastic dogs!

They were both amazing weeks, and I learnt lots from both of them.

I want to be a Vet, and technical theatre is a hobby.

I also have a bit of other animal related work experience.

 

It's good to get lots of work experience to confirm that it is the job you want to go into.

Good Luck with the optometry.

[ubereglu]

It's good to get lots of work experience to confirm that it is the job you want to go into.

Good Luck with the optometry.

 

I agree with that, but I really think it is something I want to do-I'd been thinking about it for the past few years, but doing the work experience proved that it was something I really wanted to do.

 

Anyway, I've been told by the place that they'll happily let me work there over the summer!

[Looney]

Anyway, I've been told by the place that they'll happily let me work there over the summer!

 

Brilliant!

[ubereglu]

My friend & I went to the same optician but for different weeks for our work experience. She loved it and now want to be an optometrist. I hated it. Worst week of my life. They had me making tea for the whole week, and the guy who runs it made me go out and get him lunch. I refused to go in for the last two days.

 

Poor you, I think that what they allowed you to do was a bit unfair, and they could have got you a bit more involved. It's interesting that your friend had a completely different experience at the same place though-I think it depends on your circumstances too-I've always worn glasses and know how the system works and so I was given explanations of a lot of things too.

 

She is doing a first diploma at college which will give her UCAS points, so if she gets enough UCAS points she can go to Uni and train. I dont think you have to do it through A-Levels though. Could do a National diploma in Health care and do it that way if you wanted.

You don't have to go into optometry through A levels-one of the optometrists where I went did a pre med year to get his sciences up to scratch as he did Chemistry, History and Geography at A level, which aren't ideal for optometry!

[Valkyrie]

My son wrote to the hospital because he was thinking of being a doctor at the time. He never had a reply, and so he was sent to an old people's home where they gave him absolutely nothing to do. He was left in the staff room to either read his own books or listen to music. Not a good week, but the second week he went to Boots and thoroughly enjoyed himself. Did this help him - not at all, although it did put him off being a doctor.

Daughter was put in a hairdressing salon - which she loved to bits. As a result she came home with purple hair! I don't think the school approved, but overlooked it as it was part of the course - it did wash out fairly quickly. When we went to the college that ran a hairdressing course, she explored the facilities and found the catering department. The chef in charge was so enthusiastic that she was sold, and is now in catering at the college. She has changed the course from just cooking to management (with cooking too). We are highly delighted as we get to test the cooking at the college restaurant!

[Scramble]

Sorry, just have to say this is how I feel:

 

Optometry (sp?) = gooey eyeballs

 

EW

 

x

[Geoid]

Work experience, the best 2 week of my school life! I worked at a barristers chambers. Got to go to court, help out barristers etc. I also sorted the post (quite a lot of it) It was a little bit boring. But I learnt loads on how the courts etc work and I got £60 out of it too!

[kitbag]

Work experience, the best 2 week of my school life!

 

I got £60 out of it too!

 

I agree! I loved my work experience, although I only got 1 week!! I worked in a little fruit and veg shop in a sweet little village near me! I worked my socks off for no pay though!

 

xxxxxxxxxxx

[ubereglu]

But I learnt loads on how the courts etc work and I got £60 out of it too!

 

A useful experience then Fred-in more ways than one.

 

Did it help you vaguely decide things though-A levels etc?