Lee Rolls

Background

About Lee Rolls

I worked for the College of Optometrists, the Professional Membership body for UK registered optometrists from May 2003 to May 2022. In my role as Trainee Services Coordinator, I played a vital role in the delivery of the College's Post Graduate Scheme for Registration. This enables graduates from UK universities to register as fully qualified optometrists in the UK, on successful completion of it. I was in this role from 2003 to 2022 and was responsible for administering all parts of the training scheme including applications, assessments, training courses, assessor recruitment, meetings and fees. During this time I built up good working relationships with trainees, supervisors, employers and assessors, through providing full support and guidance when required, on all aspects of the Scheme. In this position, I arranged competency based assessment visits in practice and online for trainees. Approximately per year in each type. To ensure the assessments run smoothly, I paid meticulous attention to detail when booking to check that all the details were correct. If problems did occur on the day of the assessment, I was quick to find quick solutions and re-arranged if required. Our trainees included international students, mostly from Canada and the Far East. I am used to dealing with trainees from outside the UK in a patient and helpful manner, paying special attention to their needs with regard to visa restrictions. In a previous role, as a Clerical Officer in the International Office of Goldsmiths College from 1997 to 2001, I worked with overseas students on a full time basis. This experience has helped me to develop skills and empathy in dealing with international candidates, who often require additional support and re-assurance. To ensure that applications to the scheme were processed in line with service level agreements, I checked them in an efficient, accurate and methodical manner. If problems did occur during processing, I dealt with them quickly and found solutions such as separately streaming completed and pending applications. I also developed processes and procedures to deal with areas in the application process which caused particular problems, for example approval of supervisory requirements, which have to be legally compliant. This included introducing online verification checks to prevent missing data and advice when entry requirements were not met. For most of my years in this role, I was also responsible for the annual invoicing and collection of course fees. Annually fees amount to over £3 million per training year.