Plymouth business celebrates apprenticeship success

With National Apprenticeship week just around the corner, it’s time to reflect on, recognise and celebrate the success stories around us. 

For Iconic Opticians, this success came in the name of Sam Lewis. The story started back in February 2017 when Sam was only 16: “Leaving school was a bit daunting and I wasn’t sure what to do next. I came across apprenticeships and it sounded like an ideal way for me to gain work experience and a qualification whilst earning some money of my own.”

The idea of a keen and talented apprentice also appealed to Thirupuvanarajah Dinesh, director of Iconic Opticians: “As an independent opticians, we were looking for a passionate apprentice to become part of our team, in the hope that they would learn to love the trade as much as we do.”

As Sam discovered the world of optics, he soon developed a keen interest in the field. 

“Dinesh’s hands-on approach was the perfect way for me to learn,” he said.

“Getting thrown in at the deep end and learning on-the-job may have had some challenges, but I love it and it’s allowed me to learn so quickly. Back then, the team was really small too so I quickly had to learn to multi-task and prioritise.” 

Sam completed his apprenticeship in customer services in June 2018 and has now been part of the family-ran business for 3 years. 

“Sam’s learnt so much in the time he’s been with us - not only is he loved by our patients, but he’s also brilliant on the technical side and can glaze new spectacles in minutes”, said Dinesh.

As well as being a trusted member of the team, Sam is now an optical advisor and has also helped onboard new team members over the past year. 

“I’ve grown with the company and proud to be part of its success,” said Sam. 

“This apprenticeship marked the start of an exciting journey for me and certainly got me on the path to a rewarding career.”