"Everyone deserves the chance to build skills that matter."

CEO & founder: Rianne van Pijkeren

Orthopedic shoemaker, educator, curriculum developer, and changemaker with 20+ years of international experience.

Rianne van Pijkeren is the founder and driving force behind Learn to last.

She combines over two decades of hands-on experience in orthopedic shoemaking with a deep passion for education, design, and international collaboration.

Her career has taken her from Dutch workrooms to major educational projects in Mexico, Myanmar, and Vietnam, where she designed and led multi-year training programs for orthopedic shoe professionals.

Rianne supported numerous smaller international initiatives, often in collaboration with NGOs or local healthcare providers.

She has developed curricula, trained students from over 30 countries, and continuously advocated for better, more inclusive access to orthopedic shoe education.

Rianne is both a craftsperson and a bridge builder, connecting generations, cultures, and disciplines.

She knows what it means to depend on orthopedic shoes herself, and brings that lived experience into everything she teaches and creates.

My Mission
I believe everyone deserves shoes that are not only functional, but also beautiful. That’s why I work to keep orthopedic shoemaking knowledge alive — renewing it, and passing it on. By connecting practice, education, and technology, I want to make learning accessible and inclusive, everywhere. A system built by makers, for makers.

My Vision
I dream of a digital learning platform that reaches worldwide, yet stays rooted locally.
A community where students, teachers, and experts grow together.
With more modules, more languages, and recognized accreditation, step by step.
Sustainable, scalable, and carried forward by
the craft itself.

International impact in numbers

Rianne van Pijkeren has been involved with initiatives and organizations and/or taught and developed curricula for and with:

With Learn to last, she transforms her vision into action, future-proofing a disappearing craft by making it accessible, visible, and respected again.

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