Why Training and Recruitment Now Sit in the Same Category in UK Optics

What keeps an optical practice running well? The equipment matters. So do the lenses, the software and the systems behind every appointment.

But there are two vital dependencies you won’t find listed as assets on a balance sheet: the people you hire, and the people you help develop.

That’s why it’s notable that the 2026 Optician Awards place recruitment and training within the same Optical Supplier Award category. The category recognises services supplied to optical businesses, alongside examples such as software, finance and shop fittings. It doesn’t create a separate joint award for recruitment and training. Instead, it puts both within a broader group of services that can help practices run, grow and stand out.

The published category criteria look for evidence that a supplier’s services help businesses and differentiate practices. Optician Online’s coverage of the 2026 awards reports that the ceremony is scheduled for Friday 11 December 2026 at the Royal Lancaster London.

The important point is bigger than an awards category. Recruitment and staff development are not just background admin. They are professional services that can shape a practice’s capability, resilience and experience for patients.

People are part of the practice infrastructure

A practice can invest in new equipment, update its software or refresh its dispensing area. Those purchases are visible and easy to assign to a budget.

People are different. A team’s knowledge, judgement and confidence are built over time. Yet they underpin the day-to-day work: welcoming patients, supporting clinical services, managing busy clinics and keeping the practice moving when pressures change.

A vacancy is therefore more than an empty line on a rota. It can affect workload, continuity and the experience of the rest of the team. A mismatch can be costly in less obvious ways, too: additional time spent recruiting again, pressure on colleagues and disruption to plans for the practice.

This is why treating recruitment as an occasional emergency can be a false economy. An optical recruitment agency should be considered as part of a practice’s resourcing plan, not simply called when the situation has already become difficult.

That doesn’t mean every practice needs the same approach. Your requirements depend on the role, location, service mix and the team you already have. The key is to think through those needs before a vacancy becomes urgent.

Recruitment and development solve different parts of the same problem

Recruitment helps a practice bring the right skills into the team. Development helps the team make the most of those skills, adapt to changing needs and build confidence in their roles.

One without the other can leave a gap. Recruiting someone into a workplace with no clear induction or support can make it harder for them to settle. Investing in development while a team is stretched or missing key skills may also leave people without the time or capacity to benefit.

That’s the connection behind the category’s grouping: recruitment and training are different services, but both support the practice through its people. One helps build the team; the other helps it grow.

For practice owners: plan people services like other supplier services

A supplier relationship works best when you know what you need from it. The same applies to recruitment and development.

Before opening a role, ask:

• What does this person need to do, and what can be learned after they join?
• What would make them a good fit for this team and this patient community?
• How much time can the practice realistically give to induction and ongoing development?
• What would a successful first six or twelve months look like?

Those questions make it easier to write a useful job brief, assess candidates consistently and set clear expectations from the start. They also help you identify where training should be planned and budgeted, rather than left until somebody is struggling.

If you work with an external provider, look beyond speed. Ask how they understand the optical sector, how they’ll clarify your requirements and how they’ll keep communication clear. A good service should help you make a considered decision, not just send you a pile of CVs.

The same practical thinking applies to training. Consider what the team needs for its current work, what may change, and how learning can fit around the reality of clinic and practice schedules. A plan doesn’t need to be complicated. It does need to be purposeful.

For candidates: development tells you something about a workplace

If you’re weighing up a new role, salary and location matter. So do the details of how a practice supports its team after the contract is signed.

You might ask what induction looks like, how development needs are discussed, and whether there is time to build skills alongside the work itself. These are reasonable questions. They help you understand whether the practice sees people as a short-term fix or as part of its longer-term capability.

A practice that invests in development may be showing that it wants people to grow and contribute. That doesn’t guarantee that every role will be the right fit, of course. But it can give you a clearer picture of the culture and the support available.

When exploring optometry jobs, optician jobs, optical vacancies or broader optical careers, look at the whole opportunity. Think about the team, the work, the expectations and the chance to develop. The right next step is about more than the job title.

If you’re considering a pre-registration route, our pre-reg placement information can help you explore that next stage.

A more deliberate approach benefits everyone

The message in the award criteria is not that recruitment and training are interchangeable. They aren’t. It is that practices can value them as supplier services because both contribute to a stronger business and a more capable team.

For employers, that means planning recruitment and development with the same care you give other important services. Define what you need, set a realistic budget and assess the value by looking at how the service supports the practice over time.

For candidates, it means paying attention to whether a potential employer makes room for learning, clear communication and a considered start. Your next workplace should offer a role you can do well, and a team environment where you can keep building your career.

At NeedAnOptom Healthcare, we understand the optical sector and support practices and professionals with recruitment for permanent and resident roles, as well as pre-reg placement assistance. If you’re hiring or considering a move, contact NeedAnOptom Healthcare to start a conversation.

And if you’d like to stay connected with colleagues between roles and shifts, join the SCAN Clinical Exchange. It’s a peer-to-peer community and locum exchange, built to help optical professionals and practices connect.

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