As a Trainee Vision Rehabilitation Specialist, you will contribute, as a full-time member of staff, to the services delivered by the Exeter Team while successfully completing all elements of the two-year Training programme in Rehabilitation Work (Visual Impairment). The team covers a large geographical area, therefore a considerable amount of driving will be expected; this includes Devon, Cornwall, Somerset & West Dorset.
The content of the training will be covered through a mix of on the job, and off the job training.
On the job training will be provided by Guide Dogs as part of the job role of Trainee Vision Rehabilitation Specialist. Off the job training will be covered by the Training Providers course, delivered by Vision Rehabilitation Training Ltd. Guide Dogs will pay the tuition fees as part of the position of Trainee Vision Rehabilitation Specialist.
Course key dates:
- Course start date Autumn - November with enrolment as of 1st September
- Other key dates will follow, 2-year course
This role requires an Enhanced Disclosure check, job offers are subject to the receipt of a satisfactory check. Sponsorship cannot be provided for the role.
We reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date.
Please contact [email protected] should you have any queries on the role.
Salary: £24,480 during training, rising to £27,452 at the course midpoint and £34,805 upon qualification.
Guide Dogs’ Vision Rehabilitation Service empowers people with sight loss to regain independence and confidence. Through personalised, specialist support, we help clients relearn skills, adapt to new environments, and embrace technology.
Our holistic, person-centred approach addresses challenges and aspirations, fostering self-reliance and enabling choice.
Through guidance on technology, skill development, and tailored programs, we support individuals to overcome challenges, embrace opportunities, and thrive.
Successful applicants will study the Rehabilitation worker Visual Impairment apprenticeship course. This course involves The Vision Rehabilitation Specialist apprenticeship provides a detailed description of what an employer requires of a practicing Vision Rehabilitation Specialist / Rehabilitation Worker. This apprenticeship training programme strictly adheres to the content of the apprenticeship standard and in doing so ensures that the apprentice develops the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours their employer requires. Details of the apprenticeship standard and its content can be found at: Apprenticeships | VRT2025
Note – Guide Dogs will pay the tuition fees as part of the position of Trainee Vision Rehabilitation Specialist.
For the complete list of essential and desirable criteria necessary to be successful in this role please see the Person Specification within the Job Description below. The candidate pack contains more information about this role & the recruitment process at Guide Dogs.
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Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
Behind Every Guide Dog Is Someone Like You - We’re passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that celebrates and values diversity. Bring your whole self to work regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it.
How to apply
Further details on the full role are attached below. When you are ready to apply, submit an online application form via this page. Please note - If you are successful you will need to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK via our digital ID checking supplier. We cannot offer visa sponsorship at this time.
As part of your application ensure you provide evidence and examples of how your skills & experience meet the criteria as set out in the attached job description. You will also be asked to complete a few job-specific questions, so please be prepared to write your answers to these questions.
If you choose to use AI tools to assist in completing your application, please use them appropriately. We value authenticity. If you want to stand out, using a generic AI-generated response isn’t going to separate you from the crowd. This is your time to shine and showcase your unique skills, personality, and thought processes! You can find our full statement on the use of AI to complete applications on our careers website.
If you would like to have an informal conversation about the role before applying, or require any accessibility support to apply, our friendly recruitment team is ready and waiting to help. Call them on 0118 3540345 or drop an email to [email protected].
Safer recruitment
Guide Dogs follow Safer Recruitment practices to ensure we are safeguarding the vulnerable people we work with. As part of this, we require a full work history with any gaps accounted for & a minimum of 2 professional referee details fully covering the past 5 years. If you are applying for a disclosure role, please note that you will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and sign up to the DBS update service.
At Guide Dogs, we believe in fair and equitable hiring practices. A criminal record will not automatically disqualify an applicant from consideration for a position. Each case will be evaluated individually. We encourage all candidates to disclose relevant information, and we assure you that it will be handled confidentially and fairly.
