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OAA - Tell us, what kind of training does your company do?
Optical Training Institute (OTI) is a trusted education company that offers an apprenticeship training program (the Optician Development Program), ABO and NCLE exam preparation courses, and continuing education courses for opticians and optometrists. Since the 1980s, we have served over 30,000 eye care professionals and leading corporate partners.
OAA - Who is the Optician Development Program suited for?
The Optician Development Program (ODP) is a career training program designed for opticians or trainees who are pursuing licensure, ABO or NCLE certification or supplemental training.
OAA - Can you describe why you think this program (ODP) is particularly good for apprentices?
The Optician Development Program is a completely different experience. First, it’s fun and interactive. We have videos, 3D animations, illustrations, flash cards, pre-written notes on each lesson, and lessons that can be accessed online or on a phone.
Second, our team is invested in our students’ success. Our OTI team gives a human touch to teaching by providing live office hours, study sessions, and one-on-one study sessions for students. If you’re a student in the Optician Development Program, you can call us and a fellow optician will answer your call.
Finally, the program is approved for use or credit in many licensed state apprenticeship programs.
OAA - Occasionally with training programs for apprenticeships, both the apprentice and the sponsor can lose momentum, can you tell us how the Optician Development Program addresses this?
Getting certified or licensed takes commitment and hard work. You’re right that students can burn out or lose momentum and not complete a program. Our PhD instructional designer actually built the Optician Development Program with these specific concerns in mind.
Throughout the program, motivating activities prompt students to set goals, remind themselves why they started the program, and the benefits to keeping up the discipline to finish the program. Videos and case studies help students visualize what success looks like.
OAA - Could an office manager also use this program to increase optical knowledge in their employees?
Certainly, our program offers valuable benefits to office managers seeking to enhance their skill sets and broaden the expertise of their staff. The program covers subjects such as troubleshooting, inventory management, and practice administration, all of which are highly relevant to office managers.
OAA - What are some other unique characteristics of your training program?
The Optician Development Program offers a distinctive experience for Sponsors. Similar to other apprenticeship programs, each student has a Sponsor, an experienced professional who works with the student. The Sponsor’s role is to guide the student through real-world skills and support the student’s learning
Within ODP, each Sponsor is granted full access to the program, including access to a dashboard that enables them to track their apprentice’s progress: how much progress they’ve made, what lesson they’re on, what topics they’re struggling with, etc. This empowers Sponsors to provide custom guidance and support, enhancing the overall quality of the apprenticeship experience.
OAA - What is the mission statement or goals for Optical Training Institute?
Our mission is to Provide high-quality education that improves the patient experience and supports career growth for eye care professionals.
We were founded by an optician. Our content team is comprised of opticians and optometrists. We invest in scholarships and grants for eye care professionals (both for degree programs and apprenticeships). At the end of the day, we succeed when our students are taking great courses, improving their skills, providing great patient care and achieving their career goals.
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