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The Jewelers Mutual Group has invested $10 million in a collaboration with Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to train jewelry artisans and innovators.
The partnership will extend over 10 years and be allocated to bench-jeweler education in North America, Jewelers Mutual said last week. The funding will support a number of projects, including the Bench Education Endowment (B.E.E.) by Jewelers Mutual Endowed Scholarship Fund, a yearly scholarship program; an academic program enhancement; and upgraded jewelry-making technology and equipment. Through the initiatives, the groups hope to expand job opportunities and strengthen links between graduates and retailers, manufacturers, and designers.
The academic collaboration aims to bridge the talent gap between education and skills training to prepare the next generation of bench jewelers, it said. These specialized jewelers are skilled craftspeople who fabricate, mend and restore fine pieces at the most sensitive stage of the jewelry value chain.
The industry is facing a shortage of this type of labor, with more professionals retiring than entering the field. Therefore, 4,000 new bench jewelers are needed every year to maintain capacity. A recent workforce study revealed that more than 70% of jewelers intended to hire bench jewelers but had difficulty finding qualified candidates.
“Supporting the future of the jewelry industry means investing in the people who will sustain it,” said Jewelers Mutual CEO Scott Murphy. “We are committed to helping close the bench-jeweler talent gap by supporting education that prepares students for real-world careers and strengthens the industry for generations to come.”
Image: Jewelry making at Savannah College of Art and Design. (Jewelers Mutual)
