All Eyes on Youngest Optician in the Country

It’s official, Skipton’s Eleanor Hill is the youngest optician in the UK. Newly qualified Eleanor, had been out celebrating the success of passing her exams when she learned that she’s also the youngest in the UK. The General Optical Council has contacted her to congratulate her on her success. Elly is part of the team at Skipton’s Benjamin Opticians and as you meet her at work you wouldn’t think she’s only just qualified. She’s always had the confidence and demeanour of a fully-fledged optician says practice owner Liz Ellis: “Elly joined us at 15 as a Saturday girl, cleaning frames and sweeping up. We quickly noticed there was something special about her – she was enthusiastic and very keen to learn, so we enrolled her on the foundation course to become a Dispensing Optician. She’s worked doubly hard, combining her studies with in practice training. Eleanor has shown a maturity and professionalism way beyond her years and is very well liked and trusted by our patients.”

A bright happy but self-proclaimed ‘shy girl’, Elly is nonchalant about the accolade: “I’m just happy I qualified after all the hard work. It’s been a tough three years and exams are always a challenge. Lots of good things have happened. Mostly, I’ve come out of it with secure job that I love. I’ve had loads of support from the team – Liz and Kate have really taken me under their wings.” Like any good student Elly of course had a fun time at college and passed with flying colours, but what made her want to become an optician? “I used to come to Benjamins with my mum to have her contact lens check and at the time David Benjamin used to look after her. David, who has since retired, could see I was interested and used to let me look through the slit lamp. So when I was 15 it was obvious where I was going on work experience. Liz then offered me a Saturday job which I loved. Then she told me they were expanding and needed a new Dispensing Optician and I’ve never looked back. Over the years Liz has moulded me, as she always says!”

Her mentor and fellow Optician, Kate Lowcock says Elly has always been enthusiastic and conscientious: “She was so young when she started, so seeing her grow as a person as well as an optician makes me very proud.”

Jo Underwood is Principal and one of Eleanor’s lecturers at The Association of British Dispensing Opticians, ABDO’s College at Godmersham Park in Kent says she’s absolutely delighted with Eleanor’s results: “She has been a model student; has worked hard and consistently, always been attentive in class and supported her colleagues along the way. Her attendance was 100% on every College block and this shows her commitment to the programme. ABDO college was delighted to be involved in Eleanor’s education. My team are dedicated to providing a supportive and caring learning environment to enable students to flourish and to equip them with the extensive theoretic and practical knowledge needed in the practice of ophthalmic Dispensing today. Eleanor did her employer and us as her teachers very proud!”

Back in Skipton as Elly settles into her full role as a qualified optician, someone else is watching her closely. New girl Izzy Booth – the latest recruit to the Benjamin’s team, is starting out on the road to becoming a Dispensing Optician. And what does she make of Elly’s new found stardom? “It’s a great achievement, to say she’s the youngest in the country. Her hard work has really paid off. Does she find the thought of going through training daunting? “Not really – in fact its prepared me for what’s to come and made me realise I can do it and I’ve got Elly there for help and support too. So is Izzy the next Elly? “Like Elly I’ve come into optics quite young. I didn’t know what to do after my A Levels at Skipton Girls High and I saw the trainee job on Facebook. I’m looking forward to following in Elly’s footsteps.”

So as it starts all over again for the new recruit at the Benjamin’s boot camp training doesn’t stop for Eleanor: “I’ve just started my training to become a Contact Lens Optician as the next step in my career in optics”. And yes, maybe she could become the youngest Contact Lens Optician in the UK, but for Eleanor she’s enjoying being a dispensing optician with letters after her name and looking forward to picking up where David Benjamin left off, to be the one fitting her mum’s contact lenses in the future!