Kingsbridge Opticians would like to welcome Andrena Orme, Optical Assistant to the team. To find out a bit more about Andrena we have complied a fun Q&A.
Give us a brief outline of your career to date?
I worked in Debenhams for 10 years and took a break to go travelling for a year. When I came back, I decided I wanted a different path and worked at a national opticians chain for 5 years. I saw a job advertised for One2One Patient Advisor in Kingsbridge Private Hospital and thought I’d give it a go not expecting to get the job. I started in the One2One department in Sept 2017. When I came back from Maternity leave in 2022 an opportunity came up to work back in Optics at Kingsbridge Opticians. I took the chance and haven’t regretted it (so far!)
What was your favourite subject at school?
ICT surprisingly.
Did you go on to further/higher education, if so, where did you study and where?
I started to study Computing Science at Ulster University, Jordanstown and quickly realised this wasn’t the life for me!
How did you get into your area of work?
Right place, right time.
Is this what you always wanted to do?
I never had a specific career in mind growing up. I’m the youngest of 4, there is a Nurse, a Pilot, and an Engineer before me, so I decided to go rogue and see where I ended up.
What does a typical day entail?
As I am sure everyone says the same, no two days are the same. I start before the store opens and get organised for the day ahead. When the store opens, I tend to be very busy meeting and greeting Optical and Hearing Care patients. My job as an Optical Assistant means that I assist the Optician after the patient has their eye test and help them select and dispense their glasses. In between times there are patients collecting their new glasses/contact lenses and those who come in for general enquiries. I assist with Kingsbridge Hearing Care too, so I am kept busy!
What are the best and most challenging aspects of the job?
The best aspect of the job is meeting a variety of different people, I enjoy talking to our patients and building up a rapport. I love when they collect their glasses at the final stage of their journey and see them walk away happy. The most challenging aspect of the job is keeping the frames clean! There are a lot of frames to dust and not an awful lot of time to do it!
What advice would you give anyone looking to follow a similar career path?
Step out of your comfort zone. There is a lot of lingo in Optics and Audiology which can be daunting but it’s a very interesting field.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you like to do?
I would love to open a play cafe with a large space for kids to play where parents/carers can have a cup of tea in peace while keeping a close eye on their children. Not to the scale of soft play because that isn’t peaceful but something on a smaller and safer scale! I have two young girls and I would really appreciate something like this opening near me, I wouldn’t be out of it!
What is the one piece of advice you would give yourself on your first day?
Give it 3 months and it will feel like you have always been in this role.
Describe your ideal day off?
My ideal day off is a nice sunny day, taking a picnic to the park and letting my two girls have a good run around, guaranteed for a full night’s sleep! Ideally not too sunny because I have two little red heads and the sun gives me anxiety around them! Alternatively, if I had a babysitter an ideal day would be an early lunch out a few glasses of wine and home early.
Pizza or Chinese?
Pizza
Tipple or teetotal?
Tipple or two
Gym or swim?
Gym
Cinema or theatre?
Cinema
Car or bus?
Car
Shopping centre or city centre?
Shopping Centre
Crisps or nuts?
Crisps
If you have a concern about your eye health and would like to get in touch with Kingsbridge Opticians, please get in touch with your nearest location today!
Belfast | 028 9066 7030
Donaghadee | 028 9188 4188
Newtownabbey | 028 9085 9900
or by filling out our Online Enquiry Form.