Hello i'm new to the site, i'm 20 years old and i've recently become iterested in gemology/mineralogy. I have been an artist all of my life mainly focused on jewelry design and wire sculpture. I am anxious to learn more about jewelry repair, gem cutting, stone setting, engraving ect. but i'm unsure of which route to take. I am unable to fund a gemology tuition at this time, i have been doing most research online. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get more information or how to get my foot in the door?
Having been looking for 4 years, but still unable to escape TEFL, I'd say...
Assuming you don't want to spend a career in sales-only positions (although you will likely have to start in such a role), in this industry you have much more chance finding satisfting work by using your hands.
Your already an artistic and handy person, and I wouldn't deviate from that path at all.
I wish I had your option, but the only practical skill I have with my hands is what the church might call "self abuse" (and frankly, that's only my right hand... feels weird with the left).
Check any of the big jewellery recruitment pages, remove all the sales/management roles, and compare the numbers of bench-jeweler/silversmith/engraving/watch-repair (etc.) handy jobs with those which use academic skills (i.e. using gemmology qualifications). The former massively out-number the latter.
I wouldn't touch the over-priced gemmology courses in your situation. The gem grads are a dime-a-dozen, while people who can actual do useful practical things, such as resizing a ring, are not so overly-saturated. That's what the ratio of advertised jobs tells me anyway.
Any gemology you want to learn is right here anyway; minus the £5000-£10000 investment.
I'll clear my PM inbox in anticipation of the usual angry, and sometimes mildly offensive, private messages from the usual people.
PS: I am guessing from your name you are in Crystal Palace, South London? If you are close enough to the 'zone' to be able shadow/help a bench jeweller for free, with no additional accommodation over-heads, do it.
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