Jewelers launch plans to attract fresh talentcontinued from page 1 “There is a big void of people coming into the field
knowing what they need to know,” she said. Two new initiatives are taking separate steps to fill
that void. Careers in the Jewelry Industry is a new program from
national trade association Jewelers of America to encourage young people
to enter the jewelry profession. In Michigan, Kendall College is developing a jewelry degree
program to give students the skills necessary to work in the field. The
new degree will build on the partnerships between jewelers and educators
that have been underway for more than a decade in some Michigan communities.
In addition, JA is enlisting jewelers to staff tables
at thousands of career fairs and events throughout the country to offer
information on working in the jewelry business. The program aims to present the jewelry industry as a
satisfying and rewarding career choice to young people and adults making
decisions about their future, said JA President and CEO Matthew Runci. “More and more young people today show little interest in continuing in the businesses established by their parents or grandparents,” said Runci. “Employees who are seeking any kind of job and happen
to find one within our industry are not always motivated to stay. Our
goal must be to aggressively seek out quality individuals and show them
that the jewelry industry offers tremendous opportunities and rewards.” Another roadblock discouraging people from entering the
jewelry profession is the lack of training opportunities. Kendall College,
one of the nation’s premier art schools, is developing a new bachelor
of fine arts degree in jewelry arts to meet this need. The four-year program will include classes in design as
well as the practical skills necessary for work in a typical jewelry store.
Students will be prepared to meet requirements for JA Bench Level I and
II certification. Kendall College also intends to offer short-term professional
development courses for jewelers already working in the field. The goal is to turn out competent jewelry professionals
who can step into jobs in the industry without needing extensive training
from their employer, said McMurry. “It will give them what they need to walk in, sit
down and work,” she said. “That separates us from most programs
at a university level, which tend to focus on the theoretical and creative
aspects of jewelry design.” The new degree program is expected to receive final approval
in April and begin enrolling students in the fall, McMurry said. Many Michigan jewelers are already ahead of the curve
in working with young people to promote jewelry careers. In Oakland County, Andrea Bronson, Dorothy Kane and Karen
Pipkin of Huron Valley Schools have partnered with local jewelers to nurture
jewelry talent for 12 years. Businesses such as Rottermond Jewelers in
Milford have donated materials and offered expertise to jewelry classes
at area high schools. They’ve also hired students to work in their
stores. Bronson, who helped jumpstart development of the new jewelry
arts program at Kendall, said she has talked to jewelers throughout the
state who are eager to help attract talented young people to the profession. “The benefit for jewelers is the fulfillment that
comes from giving generously of their time and money to give someone a
future,” she said. Jim Fiebig, owner of Fiebig Jewelers Inc. in Sturgis and
a board member for the Michigan Jewelers Association (a division of MRA),
is one such jeweler. His parents, who founded the business, employed a high
school student whenever possible, and Fiebig has carried on that practice.
At least one of their former employees now works for a jeweler, while
four others manage other types of stores and businesses in the community. Sturgis High School jewelry arts classes visit Fiebig’s
store every year to get a firsthand look at the work of a retail jeweler.
This year Fiebig sponsored 12 entries from Sturgis High School students
in the MJA Jewelry Design Competition - more than half of the 21 entries
in the student category. “We’re already doing on a local basis what JA
is doing on a national level - keeping the industry alive,” said
Fiebig. MJA Executive Director Kelly Hayes, who is serving on
the committee to plan the jewelry curriculum at Kendall College, said
the new initiatives by JA and Kendall will build on what Michigan jewelers
have already been doing. “Clearly, there is a need for a new generation of
creative, skilled workers entering the retail jewelry profession,”
she said. “Local jewelers and state and national organizations can
work together to show young people that this is an exciting and fulfilling
career.” For more information on any of these programs, contact Hayes at 800.366.3699 or khayes@retailers.com. |
Jewelers
of America (JA) is producing a comprehensive guide to jewelry careers
which it plans to distribute to 9,000 high schools, 900 junior colleges
and 1,500 adult career counseling centers nationwide. The guide will be
available in print, CD-ROM and video formats.