Meet our latest Apprenticeship Educational Award winner

Updated: 10 Apr 2024

Kerry Luckett, from Coventry Godiva Oddfellows, has been chosen as our latest recipient of an Oddfellows Apprenticeship Educational Award which will help her as she starts her Optical Assistant course with Specsavers.

Helping apprentices

The Oddfellows has been backing its members who choose to undertake an apprenticeship since 2017 by providing selected applicants with a £250 non-refundable grant to go towards their studies.

We are proud to announce Kerry as our 2022 winner.

Kerry Luckett is the latest to benefit from an Oddfellows Apprenticeship Educational Award

I am very honoured

Kerry revealed her shock at having been chosen, saying: “No more than three apprenticeship awards are given nationally each year. I am very honoured to receive an award.”

The money will go towards a new laptop which will help Kerry in the classroom aspects of her apprenticeship.

She said: “With all the work I’ll have to do it’ll be much easier than using my iPad. I can take my laptop and access all my work much more easily.”

A career boost

The apprenticeship, which she'll undertake at Specsavers' Cheylesmore store in Coventry, is the next step in Kerry’s career and could ultimately see her become a fully-fledged Optical Assistant.

She will be learning how to pre-test patients, dispense glasses and order and dispense contact lenses – which she says she is really taking to as she is starting to wear contact lenses herself.

“I’ll be doing everything on the shop floor,” she added.

“It will then give me the opportunity to go further and become a Dispensary Optician which will qualify me to do everything but an eye test.

“I’ll be able to problem-solve and help people who struggle to adapt to wearing glasses. It would also give me the opportunity to go as far as I can and eventually become an Optician.”

Benefits of being an Oddfellow

Every year, the Oddfellows, of which Kerry has been a part of since the age of five, awards grants to successful applicants from its membership as part of the Educational Awards scheme. Its recipients could be studying a university degree for the first time, or like Kerry, taking an apprenticeship route.

Praising the Society, Kerry said: “The Oddfellows is a way of life. It’s family. It’s friendship. It’s everything, really. I’m so incredibly grateful for this support.”

CEO of the Oddfellows, Jane Nelson, said: “We wish Kerry all the best in her apprenticeship and hope this award will help her to get the most out of her training.”

Find out more about how to apply for an Oddfellows Educational Award and member eligibility.