Specsavers Bright Stars: Developing the Next Generation of Optometrists
Specsavers’ Bright Stars programme brings together 50 high-potential optometry students from across the UK. Individuals at the very beginning of their professional journey, selected not only for academic promise but for future leadership potential.
For the 2025 cohort, Specsavers partnered with T2 - The People Performance People to design and deliver an impactful, bespoke learning experience focused on self-awareness, confidence, teamwork, and the behaviours that underpin exceptional patient care.
The Challenge
As students transition into both university life and a demanding healthcare profession, Specsavers wanted to give them something more than technical learning.
They needed:
A strong foundation of self-awareness
The tools to collaborate effectively with future colleagues
An early understanding of the mindset and behaviours that shape patient-centred optometry
A confidence-building learning environment that feels inspiring, relevant, and supportive
Specsavers’ Head of Early Talent, Beth Cann, explains:
“Our aim was for students to develop confidence, self-awareness, and the ability to collaborate effectively in a professional environment. T2’s style encourages reflection and growth — the perfect fit for our Bright Stars audience.”
Our Solution
T2 designed and facilitated a bespoke two-day immersive experience for the “Class of 2025,” combining high-energy learning labs with deeper introspective work.
The experience included:
Psychometric tools - PRINT®
Students completed the PRINT® profile, giving them insight into their internal drivers, communication tendencies, and stress patterns. This became the anchor for how they learned to understand themselves and one another.
Self-Awareness Workshops & Learning Labs - T2 Unity Activities
Through facilitated activities, students explored:
What motivates them
How they show up in teams
How to adapt their style for more effective communication
How to work productively with different personalities
Group Challenges & Peer Learning
High-energy team experiences encouraged participants to practise collaboration, problem-solving, and reflective learning in real time.
Impact
The programme quickly became one of the most influential early-career experiences for the cohort.
According to Specsavers, the impact was immediate and meaningful.
“The PRINT® profile had the greatest impact. Students understood their behavioural drivers and how to adapt in group settings, making conversations more productive and inclusive.”
Delegates left the programme with:
Greater confidence in their ability to contribute
Stronger connections with fellow Bright Stars
A clearer sense of professional identity within optometry
Practical tools for communication, adaptability, and teamwork
A mindset for leadership, even at the start of their careers
This early development strengthens not only their university experience, but their long-term ability to deliver great patient care.
Long-Term Value for Specsavers
The experience doesn’t end after two days — it becomes a foundation for the years ahead.
As Beth Cann reflects:
“The ability to flex and collaborate is critical in practice. The skills they developed — confidence, adaptability, understanding different perspectives — are the same qualities that underpin leadership.”
By giving students this grounding early, Specsavers is investing in:
Stronger future clinicians
More confident communicators
Teams with shared language and understanding
A pipeline of future leaders
This is early-talent development that feels meaningful, personalised, and aligned with Specsavers’ purpose and culture.
A Partnership That Grows With Talent
T2 and Specsavers have collaborated for several years — across team development, leadership programmes, workshops, coaching, and now early talent.
The Bright Stars Event is a natural extension of that partnership: a bespoke learning experience designed to engage, inspire, and prepare the next generation of optometrists.
At T2, we design high-impact programmes tailored to your people, your culture, and your goals, from early talent to senior leadership.
