A FORMER oil and gas surveyor has swapped oil drums for ear drums to become the audiology director at Clydebank Specsavers.

Colin Vallance made the decision to take his career in a different path in 2017 when he became store manager at Specsavers in Milngavie.

The appointment saw the store become a real family business with his mother-in-law and father-in-law directors at the store and his wife an optician there.

Now, he has taken his career in a new direction after upskilling to become a qualified hearing aid dispenser thanks to a two-year university course and internal training.

He is now based at the Clydebank store where he is responsible for the audiology service at Specsavers stores across the area including Clydebank, Dumbarton, Milngavie, Braehead and the new store in Helensburgh.

Colin said: “I decided to leave the oil and gas sector at a time when there was a lot of economic uncertainty in the industry and it has been a great decision for me.

“I enjoyed the change when I became store manage and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to upskill in audiology.

“I’d urge anyone with questions or concerns about their hearing to get in touch.”

He added that he was delighted to have family ties at the Clydebank store too, where he works alongside his father-in-law and ophthalmic director Charles Kinsey.