Natural Diamond Council and Black in Jewelry Coalition Partner for Jewelry Education Program
Natural Diamond Council has partnered with Black in Jewelry Coalition on a first-of-its-kind jewelry education program at Baldwin High School in Baldwin, N.Y. The pilot program launches in fall 2024 and will explore each sector of the jewelry industry, from bench to design to retail.
“The Natural Diamond Council is proud to be partnering with the Black in Jewelry Coalition in 2024,” said Kristina Buckley Kayel, managing director at NDC. “Following the success of the past three years of our Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative program in partnership with Lorraine Schwartz — in which 18 BIPOC designers received unparalleled mentorship, press, vendor access and retail presence — we remain committed to the growth and advancement of the jewelry industry, with a firm belief in creating opportunities for diverse students aspiring to enter this field. It is critical we facilitate and expand entry into our legacy industry, where long-term, quality careers are possible from design to technology to retail and beyond. Joining forces with BIJC to train, inspire and mentor potential talent among a high school population on the fundamentals of jewelry is a catalyst towards realizing our collective mission of building a more equitable future for the diamond jewelry industry.”
More from WWD
CEO Talks: Noura Sakkijha on Building a Modern Jewelry Brand for Women
EXCLUSIVE: Uniqlo Teams Up With FIT on an Upcycling Collection
To ensure optimal support of the NDC x BIJC initiative through a financial grant to fund research and education for the program, NDC will subsequently pause the EDDI program in 2024
Adrianne Sanogo, education chair of Black in Jewelry Coalition, explained “The NDC x BIJC high school jewelry education program offers hands-on experience in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics subjects as they relate to the gem and jewelry industry, allowing students to learn about modern and ancient techniques in jewelry manufacturing.”
According to Sanogo, the program’s goal is to introduce students to the career paths the industry offers at an early stage. “Students will gain valuable knowledge and skills to pursue a career in jewelry making and contribute to the growth and development of the sector,” she said.
As part of the Academic Academies Program at Baldwin High School, the NDC x BIJC jewelry education program will allow students to connect the classroom to the working world through a combination of professional shadow days, internships, inter-school, regional and national competitions, as well as co-curricular activities. The goal of the program is to provide students with a multitude of learning experiences to ensure they gain the skills and knowledge required to succeed despite the challenges they may face.
“Our ambition is that this program serves as a pilot to be rolled out to high schools across the country,” Buckley Kayel said.
Best of WWD
