Ilse Pennings

Ilse Pennings is an enthusiastic professional in the optical industry with a broad background in both practice and education.

Ilse’s career started in 2005 as an optician at Stufkens Optiek in Weert, forming a solid basis for her further development. From 2006 to 2018, she was an optician and contact lens specialist at Xie Eyewear in Venlo, where she gained extensive experience, developed her analytical and communication skills, and grew her interest in knowledge transfer and professional development. In 2018, she made the switch to MBO education as an Optics teacher at Summa College in Eindhoven, combining her practical experience with a strong educational approach. In 2021, she obtained her Pedagogical Didactic Certificate (PDG).

Ilse is passionate about the profession and training of the new generation of opticians – and in addition to her work in education, she’s an active member of the Dutch national optical exams’ development group, contributing to the development and updating of exams at a national level. She sees education as a dynamic process where knowledge, practical experience, and personal development come together. With a keen eye for detail, strong organisational skills and a warm heart for students, she knows how to connect theory and practice in an inspiring way.