Specsavers branches are on hundreds of high streets across the UK, but each is its own small business, owned and run by local store partners. For some stores, building a pipeline of talent can be challenging because they are further away from key universities or are rural. This means they struggle to fill roles and their costs are increased. Furthermore, optometry can be an overlooked career path, so Specsavers needed to build awareness of the opportunities available.

The Bright Stars Scholarship is a first-of-its-kind supported scholarship programme offering 40 exclusive spots for STEM students in hard-to-fill locations. This would give them £10,000 over four years towards the cost of their Optometry course, with paid part-time work in Specsavers’ stores and the chance to gain clinical experience. It targeted year 11 and 12 students in STEM subjects who were unsure of their career path, as well as their parents and teachers who might influence them.

The tagline, ‘See your future more clearly’ directly references the fact that many young people are uncertain about their future career. Specsavers also worked with UCAS to target students and advisors, alongside campaigns on Mumsnet aimed at parents. Events at schools were advertised using captivating poster artwork aimed at both students and teachers. Teachers could also get £100 in vouchers to spend on their class if a student enrolled in a course. Just two weeks after launch, the campaign generated thousands of clicks and more than 200 applications.