ABDO held a spring graduation ceremony for dispensing opticians and contact lens opticians at Canterbury Cathedral on Monday 4 April.
Usually held once a year in November, the Association’s graduation and prize giving ceremony is a time-honoured tradition where graduands approach the dais one by one to be congratulated by the ABDO president. The ceremonial handshake indicates the moment when graduands become graduates and fully join the profession of dispensing optics.
ABDO president, Jo Holmes, and Ian Davies, Master of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, both addressed the graduands and their families and supporters who were in attendance.
Jo said: “A spring graduation is unusual for ABDO, which made it extra special at Canterbury Cathedral this year. The new beginning of the season mirrors the new beginnings of our graduands’ careers. This cohort has shown how committed they are studying through a pandemic, with all the extra pressures of this within their workplace environments.
“I was honoured to meet so many proud friends and families and share their special day with them,” continued Jo. “Every single person who graduated was enthusiastic and ready to take their FBDO qualification to the next level, be it training for contact lenses for enhanced services within their practices, becoming practice managers, and being the best DO they can in practice.”
The next ABDO graduation and prize giving ceremony will take place in November 2022.
View a video of the ceremony here.