Asda has launched a push to attract graduates to work in its in-store opticians, as it aims to expand its healthcare services.
The supermarket has launched its “first-ever” graduate training scheme specifically for university leavers, and is inviting new optometry graduates to gain work experience in one of its more than 150 in-store opticians.
During the year-long programme, participants will split their time between on-the-job training with Asda’s in-store optometrists, working with real customers, as well as online learning. The curriculum has been designed to enable graduates to qualify as GOC (General Optical Council) registered optometrists.
The training is delivered by Optom Academy. Each candidate will also be mentored by a qualified Asda Opticians supervisor.
“We’re thrilled to welcome our first cohort into our optical departments across the UK,” said Kristy Jackson, Asda Opticians optical professional development manager.
“This programme has been many years in the making, and it reflects our commitment to supporting colleagues at every stage of their professional journey. We’re proud to offer a pathway that combines comprehensive clinical training with real-world experience, ensuring we can attract top talent into our stores.”
With 156 sites across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Asda has one of the largest opticians businesses in the UK, alongside its network of in-store pharmacies.
The latest expansion of its graduate programme was a “major milestone in Asda’s long-term commitment to developing talent and expanding its healthcare services”, Asda claimed.
Last year the supermarket launched an apprenticeship programme offering assistant store colleagues the chance to qualify as dispensing opticians.
The supermarket has been expanding the number of services provided in store. For example, in 2023 it partnered with the NHS to offer free diabetic eye-tests in some of its clinics.
While other supermarkets have been trimming back their company-run in-store concessions in a bid to cut costs, last week Asda chairman Allan Leighton said he saw the expansion of its healthcare services, alongside other concessions like its pharmacies and cafés, as a crucial element of Asda’s long-term turnaround plan.
“There are lots of reports on performance, not all of those cover what we are,” he said during Asda’s Q2 results in August. “Asda is a bit more than the supermarket. Supermarkets don’t have brands like George that are worth £2bn. Most supermarkets are closing their cafés, we’re opening them. Most of the supermarkets are closing their pizza servers, we are not.
“We have a massive pharmacy business, the second-largest optical business in the UK, standalone clothing stores, up to 400 Greggs, Costa and Subway concessions and we have 700 petrol filling stations. So that’s the way I look at it.”
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