The optician training was a real eye-opener

Zenja Looijmans (46) has been named Best Optician Student 2022 by the NUVO trade association. In June 2022, she completed her optician training (vocational education) at Summa. "I have found my new passion."

Zenja entered the optical profession about four years ago. She became a hostess at Ben van de Leur Opticians in Heeze. "It's a really enjoyable job; you're the first point of contact in the store. Because of that, I quickly realized I knew very little about glasses and lenses. Customers would ask questions I didn't know the answers to. That's why I decided to... the optician training to be followed at Summa: Monday to school, the rest of the week in the shop.”

Motivation

The optician training program (MBO) was an eye-opener, she says. "A whole new world opened up for me. I learned about the structure and function of the eye, and about eye conditions. About the technology of glasses and lenses, about eye exams and repairs. And about fashion and commerce. It all comes together in this profession. That's what makes it so fascinating." It's also great that you can put what you've learned into practice the next day, she says. "I was able to answer more and more customer questions. That was incredibly motivating."

Smile

In its report, the jury describes Zenja as "energetic, helpful, and not afraid to put in the effort." Sebastiaan Franse, store manager at Ben van de Leur Optiek, agrees. "Zenja connects with people very easily. She approaches customers without hesitation, with a smile, and tries to help them as best she can. If necessary, she asks for help—she can then do it herself next time, because she picks things up quickly and is incredibly eager to learn."

Educational excursions

Thanks to her training at Summa, she also developed her technical skills, says Sebastiaan. "She's no stranger to complicated repairs, grinding lenses, or making a sunglass clip. She also provides well-founded lens advice." Sebastiaan also completed his optician training at Summa. He looks back on those years fondly. "The atmosphere was friendly, and the teaching team was a great mix of fresh and experienced, people from both the educational and practical fields." The field trips were especially enjoyable, he says. "We visited trade fairs and lens and frame factories, both at home and abroad. It was educational and enjoyable."

Optician training

Sebastiaan hopes to continue enjoying Zenja's positive energy for a long time to come. She says she feels completely at home at the optician's. "Thanks to the training, I've gained a lot of knowledge. And I'm still learning every day in practice. In the future, I'd like to delve deeper into the world of eyes. If that's possible at Summa, that would be fantastic."