INVISION: What industry challenges were you seeing that prompted the creation of OTI’s new onboarding course and virtual Optician Simulator?
JENNY JACOBY: We wanted to make new employee training less of a hassle. New hires often lack real-world optical skills, and most practices don’t have structured training, especially for opticians, techs, or front desk staff. That means managers spend too much time trying to train on the fly, slowing down productivity and costing the business a lot of money. OTI’s onboarding course and simulator solve this by helping staff ramp up their skills faster with less time burden on the team and a lower cost to the business.
INVISION: OTI now offers an “exam pass guarantee” with its Optician Development Program. What gives you the confidence to make that promise?
JACOBY: The Optician Development Program [ODP] works – as we know from hundreds who have used it to become licensed or certified. Learners get videos, 3D visuals, gamified tools, flashcards, real-time support, and 1:1 sessions with experts. Our team tracks their progress and works alongside the practice to support success. When learners engage with all that ODP offers, they don’t just study, they build lasting skills.
INVISION: The new simulator gives learners a way to practice real-world optical skills virtually. How does that help practices improve training efficiency or reduce onboarding strain?
JACOBY: In the simulator, new hires or staff looking to upskill can practice independently on instruments like the lensometer, slit lamp, and pupilometer in a risk-free environment without tying up equipment, practicing on patient’s eyewear, or needing constant supervision. That frees up senior staff and keeps equipment available for patient care, helping practices move faster and train better.
Advertisement
INVISION: How do you tailor your training for different roles in the eyecare team — opticians, front desk, techs — especially for practices where staff wear multiple hats?
JACOBY: We personalize training by roles and skill level. Training paths are modular, so practices can match learning to each staff member’s role and experience. We recommend starting with our hiring & skills assessments, which identify strengths and gaps. From there, we generate custom training plans mapped to OTI products. Practices bundle what they need, see it in their account dashboard, and track team progress, while learners only see the training assigned to them.
INVISION: What’s next for OTI? Are there other gaps in training or certification you’re hoping to address in the near future?
JACOBY: We are always working innovatively to grow our impact. In addition to reinvesting in our existing programs like the Optician Development Program, we are expanding our offering for individual professionals, large groups, and everyone in between. We’re expanding technician training to meet the rising demand for skilled clinical support in practices. We’re developing new continuing education courses that reflect emerging technologies and patient needs, such as teleoptometry. We’ll be expanding our Spanish content to make optical education more inclusive and accessible. And there’s more on the way… It’s all part of our mission to support every role on the eyecare team with flexible, practical, and career-focused training.
Note: Check out our profile of Optical Training Institute and other innovative people, places and products in the lead article of INVISION’s June issue.
