January 24 Through February 4—TUCSON, ARIZONA: Annual show
Welcome to the GemologyOnline.com Forum
A non-profit Forum for the exchange of gemological ideas
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:17 pm

All times are UTC - 4 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 28 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Author Message
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:00 am 
Offline
Gemology Online Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:29 pm
Posts: 578
Location: Dallas, Texas
You'd be amazed at how many in the profession in the states have never even heard of FGA.

_________________
-Trace

I'm only here because my flux capacitor is broken.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:06 am 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
Speaking from the standpoint of an employer, it is difficult to "justify" importing someone from overseas, setting up a green card status, and vouching to "support" them while in the US, unless one can prove there are no qualified Americans who can do the job.
MacGyver wrote:
You'd be amazed at how many in the profession in the states have never even heard of FGA.

Really???? I'm shocked. Here in California, EVERYONE is familiar with the FGA credential.
And I don't think there is any bias against an FGA. Most members of the industry have a tremendous respect for that credential.

When you look at the newspapers here, there is almost a daily filing for bankruptcy within our industry. Lots of qualified jewelry and gemology professionals are out of a job and looking to be rehired. There is NO red tape involved in hiring a US citizen AND if it doesn't work out you can let them go without complications.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:13 am 
Offline
Active Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 12:16 pm
Posts: 68
Location: Maryland, USA
Thank you Barbra. What about Americans who decide to shoot for the FGA instead of a GG, is this seen as undesirable? I've seen job listings where employers either ask for a GG (strongly preferred) or an FGA with a DGA too.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:19 am 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
Most jewelry retailers are looking for diamond professionals. That is the bread and butter (and in many cases, the soup, salad, entrée and dessert) of 99% of jewelry stores.
The GIA's Diamond credential gives one the proper "vocabulary" to be the greatest asset to a business.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:52 am 
Offline
Gemology Online Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:29 pm
Posts: 578
Location: Dallas, Texas
I was a bit surprised in the beginning as well Barbra. I suppose much of it goes back to as you said, diamonds drive the industry in this country so there isn't as much desire to achieve it. I've known many jewelers that obtained the DG and leave it at that.

After I finished my GG, and was considering starting on my FGA I was talking to a a lab instructor I know over at GIA. He'd obtained his FGA at one point because he was teaching many overseas lab classes and he felt it'd be beneficial since that is what was more commonly seen where he was teaching. A few years ago he told me, "What is FGA?" is probably the most common question he gets asked after he passes out his cards in class.

As with many things, the internet changes everything. More people in this country recognize it now than 20 years ago, and I bet 20 years from now you'll see a lot more of it.

_________________
-Trace

I'm only here because my flux capacitor is broken.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:16 am 
From my last meeting (it wasn't really an interview, as I never had a DGA) the conclusions seemed to be that if you are only doing one course, and are currently unemployed in the industry, do the GG:

- It gives you the best chance in the US (the main employer for Westerners) and more international recognition generally.

- It includes diamond grading, and the brutal truth is that diamonds are the industry in the West.

- The Thai coloured stone job market, once a good oppurtunity for Western FGAs a few decades back, is now (quite rightly) dominated by locals who are trained internally.

- The internal UK job market (where the FGA would be at least viewed as equal to the GG) is a dog. Very few gemmological and lab-based enterprises, as 99% of jewellery made abroad.

- It is more commercial than the scientific-based FGA. Jobs in scientific gemmology are very very rare - recession or no recession.

- They have a careers service.

If getting a job isn't a huge issue:

- You are doing it out of interest
- Being funded for the family business
- Being funded by your company
- Work for yourself

... you may learn more on an FGA, as it seems to be more technical (but less commercial). A FGA tutor once told me that nearly all students at Gem-A are in one of the above four categories.

However, whichever course you take, lack of 'stone time' is the employer's biggest turn-off. Learning books does not a gemmologist make. A history of looking at tens of thousands of stones is what makes him/her useful.

I think 'education' comes a distant third behind 'experience' and 'contacts' in this industry. In fact, with everyone going to university now, I think you could apply that to the West as a whole.


Top
  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 10:30 am 
Offline
Gemology Online Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:29 pm
Posts: 578
Location: Dallas, Texas
Kyriakin wrote:
I think 'education' comes a distant third behind 'experience' and 'contacts' in this industry. In fact, with everyone going to university now, I think you could apply that to the West as a whole.


Exactly. That's why I so often say this is a people business and to make all the contacts you can.

If I were to send out two sets of resumes, one showing only my experience with no education, and one showing only my education with no experience, the experience would win out on the offers hands down. If I had no education or real experience, my freiends/contacts in the industry would still hire me if I needed a job.

_________________
-Trace

I'm only here because my flux capacitor is broken.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 12:47 pm 
Offline
Active Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 12:16 pm
Posts: 68
Location: Maryland, USA
Thanks to everyone for bestowing their knowledge on my newbie brain :) Ok, to recap:

- This is a people business!!
- Western gem industry is mostly in the US.
- Experience and contacts matter more than theoretical knowledge from school.
- Most jobs in the gem industry are based on sales.
- Unfortunately in America the GG is more widely recognized than the FGA.
- In America, diamonds make up most of the industry. :(

Kyriakin, do you have any idea if are there any jobs abroad at all for FGAs anymore? Just curious. What about the other gem producing regions of the Eastern hemisphere, are they run by locals as well?

Kyriakin wrote:
I think 'education' comes a distant third behind 'experience' and 'contacts' in this industry. In fact, with everyone going to university now, I think you could apply that to the West as a whole.


This brings up another question. If someone earns a degree from a college/university, are they more likely to find a job in the gem industry? Do employers think that it makes them more competent somehow? Even if the degree has nothing to do with gems?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 1:08 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
I'm thinking an advanced degree in business administration might look pretty good on a resume right about now.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:09 pm 
Quote:
- This is a people business!!
- Western gem industry is mostly in the US.
- Experience and contacts matter more than theoretical knowledge from school.
- Most jobs in the gem industry are based on sales.
- Unfortunately in America the GG is more widely recognized than the FGA.
- In America, diamonds make up most of the industry.


All look spot-on, except it is worth noting that the second one isn't quite right. I should have said the 'English-speaking West', as there is a lot going on in, say, Germany... providing someone speak German.

Quote:
Kyriakin, do you have any idea if are there any jobs abroad at all for FGAs anymore? Just curious. What about the other gem producing regions of the Eastern hemisphere, are they run by locals as well?


There are three main problems:

- Language
- We are accustomed to higher salaries
- Working visas are always a pain

Previously, the above could be overlooked, as the supply of experienced/qualified people was not present 'internally'. However, nowadays places like GIT, GIA-Bangkok and AIGS are churning out quite a few Thai graduates.


Top
  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 2:42 pm 
Offline
Active Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 12:16 pm
Posts: 68
Location: Maryland, USA
Kyriakin wrote:
All look spot-on, except it is worth noting that the second one isn't quite right. I should have said the 'English-speaking West', as there is a lot going on in, say, Germany... providing someone speak German.


Woah woah woah. What's going on in Germany's gem world? Are there any links to websites or more information in general I can find on that? One side of my family emigrated from Germany and I speak some of the language. Might be interesting to look into...


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 01, 2010 5:27 am 
Offline
Valued Contributor
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:28 pm
Posts: 186
Location: Belgium
The German town of Idar-Oberstein is a major center of coloured gemstone processing and trade. The German precious stones museum (Deutsches Edelsteinmuseum) there, though probably small to some standards, houses an impressive collection. The town itself is full of shops selling minerals, fossils and gemstones in every price range. If you consider visiting the area, the surroundings are quite beautiful as well with rolling hills covered in green leaf forest. Idar is very close to the Mosel wine-producing area (main city: Trier) which is quite popular for trips as well.

They have an annual gem show called Intergem in the first days of october.

General tourist info here

_________________
Can we become, or must we be?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon May 03, 2010 7:09 pm 
Offline
Active Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 12:16 pm
Posts: 68
Location: Maryland, USA
Thanks for the detailed info.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 28 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

All times are UTC - 4 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
Gemology Style ported to phpBB3 by Christian Bullock