It is an accepted fact that skills development in SA is essential to the economic growth of almost all industries in the country and goes hand in hand with job creation. The diamond and jewellery industry is no exception.
Exploration for minerals and gemstones, mining them, cutting and polishing gems, manufacturing jewellery, identifying and grading diamonds and coloured gemstones, entering the finished products into the sales arena and making the final sale to the end consumer all require skills.
In some of the disciplines, a higher level of tertiary education is required for entry to universities which offer degrees in geology, mining and engineering, both civil and mechanical. However, there are also many opportunities available in the industry where the entry-level requirements are not onerous. This opens the doors for those wanting to up- skill as they continue working in their particular field, which will enable them to move in another direction within the industry. Click here to read full article. Skills Development opportunities in SA Gem industry
