SPEND AN EVENING WITH TOP JEWELLERS IN HATTON GARDEN

The New Year starts with a big celebration at Holts Academy of Jewellery. In January it launches an exciting series of events showcasing internationally-acclaimed jewellers who will be discussing their careers and displaying their work before an invited audience.

Starting on February 8th, “An Evening With…” will be held at Holt’s Academy’s brand new state-of-the-art premises in Hatton Garden, the heart of London’s jewellery quarter. Each event will provide a unique opportunity for the Academy’s students -and a select number of other lucky attendees - to meet some of the top names in the profession.

This series will inspire the next generation of new jewellery makers and designers. Attendees can hear how some of the most illustrious jewellers and inspirational talents entered the profession, how their careers and brands developed, together with their thoughts on this ever changing industry.

Top names already signed up include Stephen Webster, Vicki Sarge-Beamon from Erickson Beamon, Michael Wainwright, Joanna Hardy and Jos Skeates from EC One. As you might expect, each event will take on a slightly different format as they will be moulded around the personality of the guest speaker. These informal sessions - a pleasing mix of presentations, interview-style conversations displays and handling sessions - will last for two to three hours, including a wine reception. Attendees will be encouraged to put their own questions to the speaker and perhaps even have their work reviewed.

To maintain the intimate, informative atmosphere so essential for the success of these unique events, the number of places has been restricted. If you wish to join us for one of these exclusive evenings, early booking is essential. To ensure you get your ticket, just log on to the Holts Academy website where you will also find further details of this definitive inspirational New Year programme.

Top industry names already signed up include:

Stephen Webster- 8th February 2012

Vicki Sarge Beamon- 13th March 2012

Hazel Forsyth, Senior Curator: Post Medieval, Museum of London. Discussing Cheapside Hoard.- 12th December 2012

Leo De Vroome- Date TBC

For more information, please contact Holts Academy on 0207 405 0197

First UK Government Apprenticeship Scheme launched by Holts Academy of Jewellery in partnership with Coutts

Holts Academy of Jewellery are delighted to announce the launch and first pilot of an exclusive Apprenticeship programme in partnership with Coutts Bank, backed by the British Jewellery Association and The Goldsmiths’ Company.

With youth unemployment and the current economic woes, Ministers have been waxing lyrical about the need to prepare young people better for the working world; indeed the fact that youth unemployment has been rising since long before the crash suggests more fundamental problems with our education system. Holts Academy of Jewellery have been pioneering qualifications, making a difference and inspiring young people with vocational jewellery qualifications since 2007.

Lee Lucas, Principal of Holts Academy of Jewellery commented: “With more than 1million young people currently out of work and over 60,000 more being added to this count each quarter, there has never been a better time for people to look seriously at meaningful vocational learning. Getting vocational training right is crucial if Britain wants to enjoy sustained growth in the long term and that is exactly what the Academy is offering the jewellery industry. This exciting first step in Apprenticeships for the jewellery sector has already seen 16 young people start on the path to long- term employment and a legacy of skills that will ensure that they can earn a living for the rest of their lives”.

The scheme hopes to nurture the next generation of creativity by producing some of the most exciting designers and manufacturers in the UK jewellery sector. What’s more, it’s free to eligible students aged between 16 and 23, who will start earning a wage from the first day of their apprenticeship. The scheme is also free of charge to the employers taking on the Apprentices. The Coutts Sponsorship fund will help the Academy support employers in taking on trainees. The course starts at Holts Academy, set in the vibrant heart of London’s jewellery quarter in Hatton Garden. A year-long placement follows with one of the collaborating employers from across London and the UK, in tandem with day-release for further training. All of the skills required to regenerate the industry are covered, from enamelling, hand-engraving, setting and traditional jewellery design, as well as contemporary manufacturing techniques. Throughout the course, students are able to gain skills and employment while specialising within their own chosen field.

Lee Lucas, Principal of the multi award-winning Holts Academy, says: The jewellery industry has been at a crossroads for many years and unless we train the future generation, the UK industry, a world class exemplar of craftsmanship and design, will disappear forever. We are so proud of this partnership between Coutts and Holts Academy, which will go to support the new generation of apprentices joining this fantastic industry and our ground-breaking Apprenticeship programme. We are also delighted that Camden Council, The Goldsmiths’ Company and the British Jewellery Association are not only behind the Academy Apprenticeships but actively monitoring them with a view to identifying how to go national, meaning employers and young people across the UK will be able to benefit.”

“Employers wishing to take on an apprentice should contact the Academy’s Apprenticeship Placement Service today and anyone wishing to enrol on the scheme should contact the Admissions team for more information”.

" The jewellery industry in London has a well-deserved international reputation for excellence, and bringing young talented people into the business will help maintain that reputation.  I am delighted that Holts Academy is launching this Apprenticeship programme and would like to wish them, their partners Coutts Bank, the British Jewellers' Association and The Goldsmiths' Company, as well as the young people they train, every possible success in this exciting venture." James Cleverly AM- Assembly Member for Bexley and Bromley.

For further information please contact:

Holts Academy of Jewellery on 0207 405 0197, email info@holtsacademy.com or visit www.holtsacademy.com.

This summer Holts Academy organised an on-line survey on behalf of the BJA specifically for designer makers and for jewellers working to provide a service to the designer community.  The aim was to discover the needs of this very specific group with a view to developing new services to meet those needs for the general benefit of the trade.

The survey was widely distributed not only by The BJA and Holts Academy but also through the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, Benchpeg and the major trade fair organisers with a view to reaching the widest possible audience.

A very creditable 287 people (around half of all those contacted) responded to the call, 75% of whom were designer jewellers: others were mounters, setters, silversmiths, repairers and designers. 

The Academy has long suspected that inadequate business and production skills may, in part at least, be responsible for low sales figures within the designer maker community and a further key element of the survey was to try and gauge to what extent this is indeed the case and to identify ways in which a paucity of knowledge could be identified and addressed.

To this end, the survey asked participants to rate their proficiency levels as ‘Beginner’ ‘Intermediate’ or ‘Professional’ across a range of skill options with a view to ascertaining where training might be required and at what level.

 A resounding 80% of participants confirmed that they would like further training in Design, Metal, Business and IT skills, while 62% believe they could do with further Manufacturing Skills.  Stone Setting (50%), Ethical and Environmental matters (45%) and CAD and rapid prototyping (30%) were other areas where significant training needs were identified.

The eight most pressing areas for action have now been identified as:

·         Traditional Design Skills,

·         Metal Skills, Marketing,

·         PR and Branding,

·         Sales & Retail,

·         Bookkeeping,

·         Manufacture  

·         IT Skills.

ADDRESSING THE SKILL SHORTAGE

I am delighted to be able to report that having digested and analysed all the information provided by the survey The British Jewellers’ Association and Holts Academy have now identified some 30 courses for which they believe there is a proven need.   These courses which will be certificated by The British Jewellers’ Association will cover everything from photo editing and spreadsheets through to word processing and cash flow.

All the courses will be:

·         Practice based

·         Adjusted to specific trade needs

·         Short

·         Taught in small groups

·         Interactive

·         Setting clear goals and objectives

·         Providing opportunities for reflection

More information about these courses will be available from January 2012.

Opening Doors Event—16th November 2011

Holts Academy were invited to the Opening doors event at Tottenham Hotspur football ground where they gave visitors the chance to ‘Have a Go’ at jewellery making. The event was featured on ITV news and Channel 5! Holts Academy engaged with 170 students who made domed personalised copper coins. We also had the pleasure of doing a demonstration to the Mayor of Haringey and reporters from the BBC who found it exciting and different from what the other educational providers had to offer.  

South African Government visit to Holts Academy of Jewellery

The South African Premeir and a group of delegates visited Holts Academy in November 2011. The group are very interested the work Holts Academy of Jewellery undertakes in Hatton Garden.  Their  plan is for a similar model to be set up for students in South Africa. Director Jason Holt met with the group to share his experiences and give a guided tour of both premises.

Mayor of Camden and delegation of African Students

The Abe Bailey Trust and Travel Bursary Bursaries give university students and university staff of Junior Lecturer status an opportunity to visit the UK, participating in educational tours. The Travel Bursary aims to broaden the views of young South Africans by enabling outstanding students who show exceptional leadership qualities and a strong service ethic. Bursary winners and four delegates from Camden, including the Mayor came to visit Holts Academy of Jewellery in November. Director Lee Lucas gave them a guided tour of the new Petersham House workshops. Visitors were spoke with students about their projects and saw their work.

Faberge Event at Holts Acadely of Jewellery

In an illustrated lecture, Toby Faber, author of Fabergé's Eggs: One Man's Masterpieces and the End of an Empire, will told the story of these fabulous objects.

Between 1885 and 1916, Carl Fabergé made fifty fabulous jewelled eggs - Easter presents from Russia's last two emperors to their wives. Since the brutal murder of the last Tsar and his family in a Siberian basement, these eggs have become the most famous surviving symbols of the Romanov Empire: both supreme examples of the jeweller's art and the vulgar playthings of a decadent court on the brink of revolution. Their history encompasses Bolsheviks and entrepreneurs, tycoons and heiresses, con-men and queens. Eggs have been sold and smuggled, stolen and forged. Now, as they return to Russia, their history -like that of Russia itself - seems to have come full circle.

Toby Faber was born in Cambridge in 1965 and has worked as an investment banker, management consultant and publisher. His first book, Stradivarius: Five Violins, One Cello and a Genius, was on the New York Times extended bestseller list. Faberge's Eggs was described in The Spectator as 'hugely enjoyable and informative'.

Guests were received at Holts Academy’s new premesis,  Petersham House and the event was attended by one of the oldest Faberge family members, Tatiana Faberge, who is the great grand-daughter of Carl Faberge himself.

F. HINDS/IJL  HIGH  STREET  BY  DESIGN  2010/2011  WINNERS

F. Hinds and International Jewellery London (IJL) are delighted to announce the two winners of the High Street By Design 2010/2011 jewellery design competition.  Sian Hughes from Worcester won the Newly Established Designer Category with her Folded Heart Collection and Rosie Velk from Letchworth won the Student Designer Category with her Fan Collection – for full details of the winners and photographs of them and their designs please see attached information.

“Winning the HSBD competition is just the step I needed to link my designs and knowledge with F. Hinds’ commanding high street presence”, said Rosie Velk, Holts Academy of Jewellery Graduate

The F. Hinds/IJL High Street By Design Competition 2010/2011 was launched last year (and continues this year) to assist two jewellery designers through the whole process from original concept and creating a design to be manufactured in volume, through packaging, promotion and launch to the sale of their finished jewellery pieces in F. Hinds’ 110 stores across England & Wales and its website.

The judging panel included Andrew Hinds – F. Hinds, Director and Gold Buyer; Bob Morrish – R. E. Morrish jewellery manufacturer/IJL Exhibitor; Sarah Jordan – Award Winning Jewellery Designer; Sam Willoughby – IJL Event Co-Director and a consumer representative.  Since winning the competition everyone on the panel, plus many more behind the scenes at F. HInds, have been involved with helping Rosie and Sian get their designs into F. Hinds 110 stores.

“The objective of this competition was to open up the route to the high street”, said Andrew Hinds, “which can appear to be strewn with challenges or even a complete mystery.  Our aspiration was to give the winners an in-depth experience of all the steps from sketch to the final sale.  We have promoted the winning pieces in all our stores and online, and every piece sold is individually numbered.  We also have plans to see how we can work with Rosie and Sian in the future”.

“When I was learning all the techniques and skills I needed for jewellery manufacture, I was able to sit alongside craftsmen and women and learn from them”, said Bob Morrish, Birmingham based jewellery manufacturer.  “I aimed to replicate that 1:1 experience for Rosie and Sian as it seems to have disappeared now that apprenticeships are a thing of the past”.

WorldSkills London 2011

Showcasing the skills that shape our world…

Every community and business in the UK thrives on skills, enterprise and inspiration: WorldSkills London 2011 will be the catalyst that sparks the ambitions of people across the country.

WorldSkills London 2011 will amaze people by showing them the endless possibilities their futures could hold and inspire them to gain expertise at the highest level which the country needs. This at a glance guide sets out just how big WorldSkills London 2011 will be.

The numbers…

• 150,000 visitors
• 1,000 Competitors
• 50 countries/regions
• 45 skills
• 4 days of Competition

The event…

What?  

• WorldSkills is a unique global Competition where young people from across the world compete to become the best of the best. At stake: the honour of being the greatest in the world at their chosen skill.
• The Competition takes place every two years in a different WorldSkills International Member country/region – WorldSkills London 2011 will be the 41st WorldSkills Competition and the third time it has been hosted in the UK.

When?

• It will be held from 5-8 October 2011 at ExCeL London.
• In the run up to WorldSkills London 2011, a skills festival will take place across the UK giving thousands of people the opportunity to Have a Go at skills.

Who?

• Competitors are young people – generally aged 22 or under (with the exception of three skill areas where they are 25 years and under) – who excel at a particular skill.
• Most participating countries/regions, including the UK, hold extensive local and regional heats before selecting their national teams, so representatives at the global level truly are the very best of countries/regions.

How?  

• WorldSkills London 2011 will involve 1,000 Competitors from over 50 countries/regions competing in 45 vocational skills over 4 days of intense Competition.

So it’s going to be big then?

• WorldSkills is the largest international skills Competition in the world and London looks set to be the biggest and best WorldSkills yet. The scale of the event is enormous:

• ExCeL London has over 90,000m2 of space, the equivalent of ten Wembley Stadium pitches
• About 150,000 visitors are expected, which would fill the Royal Albert Hall 48 times over

·         At WorldSkills Calgary 2009…

• The event used:

• 43km of computer cable – more than enough to stretch the route of the London Marathon
• 400,000 kilograms of equipment, equivalent to 32 fully-laden Routemaster buses or 67 African elephants

• Competitors consumed:

• 4,000 pieces of chicken
• 2,000 litres – or 3,500 pints – of milk
• 600 loaves of bread

• Manpower utilised included:

• 83 workshop supervisors and workshop supervisor assistants, working 12 hour days for 21 days
• All adding up to 20,916 worker hours – the equivalent of 872 days
• Hundreds of skilled volunteers, donating thousands of hours

The UK team…

How will we do?

• Team UK ranked seventh in the world at Calgary 2009 up four places since the competition in Shizuoka, Japan, in 2007 when the UK was placed in 11th position.
• For WorldSkills London 2011 the targets for Team UK are high: a team entry to 30 skills competitions; 10 medals, of which five should be gold; and a top five ranking in the world.

And who do we need to beat?

• South Korea has topped the medal table for the past two competitions, coming second in 2005 – Japan, Brazil and Switzerland also rank consistently high.
• The Australians are another team to watch, ranking fifth in 2007 and dropping down to sixth in Calgary. They are sure to want to regain their place in the top five in 2011.
• Germany has dropped down the table in recent years, from a fourth place ranking in 2005 to 11th in 2009
• The USA also has some work to do if it is to become a major player in the competition – the past two tournaments have seen the Americans achieving 31st place.

The Scheme

Dedicated to providing flexible workspace.

The Scheme, launched by Holts Academy of Jewellery in July 2011, provides access to affordable pay-as-you-go bench space and drop in CAD facilities for jewellers, right in the heart of Hatton Garden.

If you are part time or a micro jewellery business, or a start up designer maker, you get the opportunity to use state of the art workshop and CAD facilities on a membership or a pay-as-you-go-basis.

You therefore have access to communal equipment such as rolling mill, polishing room, ring strecher and many more, while being based in Hatton Garden, London's centre of jewellery suppliers and manufacturers.

Membership Options

Our memberships are designed to suit you and your workload. Whether you want to benefit from the discounts yo ureceive as a member, or choose the pay-as-you-go option, we have an offer to suit you.

• Pay As You Go: No membership fee, no monthly subscription. Want to be flexible and use the facilities when suits you best with no monthly fee obligation? Then pay-as-you-go would be the thing for you starting from as little as £40 a day.
• Blue Membership: Open to Holts Academy of Jewellery Qualification Students Only: Get the membership free for six months and perfect the skills you require with the Academy.
• Silver Membership: Two free workshop days a month, discounted rates on all Academy services,£500 worth of vouchers. Ideal for practicing traditional jewellery making on the bench.
• Gold Membership: Two free CAD facilities days per month, discounted rates on a  Academy services, £500 worth of vouchers. Ideal for those practicing new technologies.

For detailed information about our membership packages, please see analytical table on our services page.

Dedicated to providing flexible workspace.

The Scheme, launched by Holts Academy of Jewellery in July 2011, provides access to affordable pay-as-you-go bench space and drop in CAD facilities for jewellers, right in the heart of Hatton Garden.

If you are part time or a micro jewellery business, or a start up designer maker, you get the opportunity to use state of the art workshop and CAD facilities on a membership or a pay-as-you-go-basis.

You therefore have access to communal equipment such as rolling mill, polishing room, ring strecher and many more, while being based in Hatton Garden, London's centre of jewellery suppliers and manufacturers.

Membership Options

Our memberships are designed to suit you and your workload. Whether you want to benefit from the discounts yo ureceive as a member, or choose the pay-as-you-go option, we have an offer to suit you.

• Pay As You Go: No membership fee, no monthly subscription. Want to be flexible and use the facilities when suits you best with no monthly fee obligation? Then pay-as-you-go would be the thing for you starting from as little as £40 a day.
• Blue Membership: Open to Holts Academy of Jewellery Qualification Students Only: Get the membership free for six months and perfect the skills you require with the Academy.
• Silver Membership: Two free workshop days a month, discounted rates on all Academy services,£500 worth of vouchers. Ideal for practicing traditional jewellery making on the bench.
• Gold Membership: Two free CAD facilities days per month, discounted rates on a  Academy services, £500 worth of vouchers. Ideal for those practicing new technologies.

For detailed information about our membership packages, please see analytical table on our services page.

An Evening With......

To mark the end of London Jewellery Week, Holts Academy of Jewellery launched the first in the series of its prestigeous 'An Evening With' events which was given by one of the jewellery industries most profound members, Theo Fennell.Theo gave an exciting and informative talk about his work, experiences and his first forray into the jewellery business. There was also a Q&A opportunity for guests. 

The absolute highlight of (London Jewellery) week’. Jenny House, Benchpeg social media team

‘..it surpassed my expectations...VERY motivating!’ An Evening With..Guest

‘The whole evening was very enjoyable experience'. An Evening With..Guest

The next in line to host this exciting event in July was the world renowned jeweller, Elizabeth Gage, who personally selected pieces of her work to present. Guests were allowed to view and handle the pieces and address Elizabeth with questions about each piece and teh processes involved in manufacturing them.

Holts Academy of Jewellery will be hosting more 'An Evening With' events. Details will be posted in this section soon!

World Record Attempt

London Jewellery Week's first world record attempt will be on the Saturday 11th June 2011! During the Hatton Garden Festival, our students and alumni will be out in force making as many rings as possible on the day and selling them in aid of the NSPCC Jewellery for Future Generations Campaign. Come and cheer them on and help raise money for charityas well as walking away with your very own ring, handmade in front of your eyes!

We are delivering new qualifications in partnership with the University of the Arts London!  

In response to the requirements of the jewellery industry, we are pioneering new qualifications in partnership with the University of the Arts London. We are delivering level 2 and level 3 qualifications which are giving hundreds of people all over the UK the specialist technical skills to be able to design and produce jewellery to an industry standard.

We are the only educational institution delivering these qualifications in the UK and we have the best jewellery industry professionals teaching our students. So whether you have just finished school or looking for a change of career, you can enrol onto this course and receive the best funded qualification that will develop you into becoming a multi-skilled graduate, with demonstrable competence in jewellery construction. We aim to have graduates absorbed into the industry or independently work in their own studio/workshop.

After completeing the Level 2 Diploma you can progress onto Level 3 choosing a specific pathway from our range of subjects. 

All of our students also take part in enrichment activities organised by the Industry Liaison Officer, which is a fantastic opportunity for them to directly engage with people in the industry and expand their knowledge which will help to further their careers.

For more information please contact the Admissions Advisor on 020 7405 0197 or email ruth@holtsacademy.com.