2020/2021 was a strange time for us all, but for me it also had its positives.
I started my jewellery journey 13 years previous with a Btec in jewellery and applied arts. However, I had come to a stalemate. A couple of little courses here and there just weren’t giving me the skills I needed to be able to offer fine jewellery and eventually run a profitable jewellery business. The pandemic made physical in-person courses impossible, which for me turned out to be a huge bonus as The London Jewellery School (later to become The Jewellers Academy) took their courses solely online. Suddenly, I had access to quality training that had been out of reach before. I couldn’t believe my luck! I had researched jewellery degrees but the exorbitant costs, along with the majority base in London and Birmingham made it impossible, especially with a young family. I felt I’d landed on my feet finding The Diploma in Fine Jewellery and was going to work my socks off to fund it.
I enrolled in January 2021 for a September start date and never looked back! I chose the 18-month payment plan and made it my mission to make enough jewellery sales every month to be able to cover the fees. There were a couple of months that were close to the bone, but every month without fail I did it; gaining a distinction in the process!
I’d taken advantage of many of the free online courses with The Jewellers Academy, so I already knew and loved the way they were structured, and I found them much better than in person. No more huddling around the tutor to try and catch a glimpse of the solder flash. It’s virtually impossible to go back to that way of learning now I’ve become used to the incredible up-close visuals of the online courses. Not only that, but we had our own dedicated Facebook group and mentoring sessions where we would not only share and support each other but get valuable feedback. It’s funny how coming together over a mutual pain of difficult projects made them more palatable. Below are some of the pieces I made on the Fine Diploma.
The community in general is the main reason I continued another year to complete the Advanced Diploma in Jewellery, many of us didn’t feel ready to say goodbye.
Luckily the skills I’d learned on the Fine Diploma meant I was now selling higher-end pieces and more gold jewellery which in turn made a bigger profit meaning there wasn’t the struggle to find my fees each month. Suddenly it felt like everything was falling into place! The skills I learnt on the Fine Diploma were levelled up somewhat with the Advanced Diploma as seen below.
I’m now enrolled on the Jewellers Business Academy which, you guessed it, is the business side that is lacking in most jewellery schools. For many, this is where it stops…incredible technical ability but absolutely zero knowledge of setting up a business and everything that goes with it. With the Business Academy Membership, you learn to price for profit, set up a website, photography, branding, social media, and marketing along with weekly live sessions and monthly check-ins for support.
There are 4 diplomas to choose from, each lasting an academic year September-July.
The Diploma in Silver Jewellery, the Diploma in Fine Jewellery, and the Advanced Jewellery Diploma, all of which follow each other nicely. In addition, there is a new Diploma in Metal Clay. If you’ve not heard of metal clay, I encourage you to read about it on the Jewellers Academy website. It’s an incredible medium and it's amazing what can be made with it.
- As a member of the Diploma Launch Team, I am proud to be affiliated with The Jewellers Academy. Through this affiliation, I may receive affiliate payments at no cost to you. I wholeheartedly believe in these diplomas and wouldn’t endorse them otherwise and I’m excited to be sharing this with others who are passionate about jewellery making. If you do enrol on any of the Diploma’s and are referred by me, I would love you to let me know and also let the Jewellers Academy know at contact@jewellersacademy.com