New roles on the AOP Council
We are pleased to introduce four new roles on Council. These exciting new positions are designed to ensure that Council remains relevant, resilient and representative as optometric education and career pathways continue to evolve.
With the introduction of new education models across the profession, these new positions will help strengthen the voice of students and newly-qualified members at each phase of an optometrist’s training journey.
The new roles are:
- Optometrist in training 1 (OIT1)
- Optometrist in training 2 (OIT2)
- Newly-qualified 1 (NQ1)
- Newly-qualified 2 (NQ2).
These positions are open to AOP members and will each hold a one-year term, running from September to September (in order to better align with key dates in the educational cycle). Members are encouraged to apply and progress through the Council pipeline as they advance through their studies and early careers.
Roles, eligibility criteria and role progression
Optometrists in training 1 (OIT1)
Open to student members of the AOP in their penultimate year of study for an undergraduate degree in optometry at a United Kingdom (UK) university. Following their term, the appointed Councillor may be eligible to serve a further term as the OIT2 representative.
Optometrists in training 2 (OIT2)
Open to student members of the AOP in their final year of study for an undergraduate degree in optometry at a UK university. Following their term, the appointed Councillor may be eligible to serve a further term as the NQ1 representative.
Newly-qualified 1 (NQ1)
Open to members undertaking their final qualifying exams or who have recently qualified. Following their term, the appointed councillor may be eligible to serve a further term as the NQ2 representative.
Newly-qualified 2 (NQ2)
Open to members seeking, or currently in, their first employed role but within their first year post qualifying. Applicants may also be in a second employed role or working as a locum.
Why apply?
These new positions offer members the opportunity to:
- Contribute to the future direction of the profession
- Represent peers in important discussions and decision-making
- Gain valuable leadership and experience within the AOP
- Help ensure the perspectives of students and newly-qualified members are reflected.
We encourage eligible members to consider applying and becoming part of the next generation of AOP Council representatives.
Key dates
Applications open: Monday 8 June 2026
Applications close: Monday 6 July 2026
The application form will be available on this page when applications open.
If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]