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Industry News: D.E.F. Announces First Canadian Beneficiary; GIA Offers Career Advice April 17, 2019 (0 comments)
Diamond Empowerment Fund Establishes First Canadian Beneficiary
Yellowknife, NWT, Canada—The Diamond Empowerment Fund (D.E.F) has announced a partnership with the Mine Training Society in Canada’s Northwest Territories, to establish the first Diamond Empowerment Fund scholarship in Canada. (From left: Winter Bailey of Mine Training Society, D.E.F. executive director Nancy Orem Lyman, H.E. Wally Schumann, minister of the Northwest Territories.
The Mine Training Society is a partnership between indigenous governments, public government, and the mining industry. Its mission is to help indigenous people living in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut region of northern Canada find long-term employment in the mining industry. The Diamond Empowerment Fund scholarships are earmarked for young people who want to advance in diamond mining fields of employment.
The partnership was announced at the Kimberlite Career & Technical Center, which was created by the GNWT and diamond industry partners. Wally Schumann, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment for the Government of the Northwest Territories said,“The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to ensuring benefits from major diamond development projects flow to NWT residents – their businesses and their governments. I am pleased to have helped facilitate this diamond-inspired program between the Diamond Empowerment Fund and the Mine Training Society that will help northern youth gain the skills they need to succeed at the mine site and beyond.”
Anna Martin, president of the Diamond Empowerment Fund and senior vice president of GIA says, “Creating education and employment opportunites for youth who live in areas where natural diamonds are found is at the heart of the Diamond Empowerment Fund’s mission. We are thrilled to be part of this partnership with the Mine Training Society and to recognize the importance of Canada to the natural diamond mining industry”.
Canada is the world’s third largest diamond-producing country. The Government of the Northwest Territories received D.E.F.’s Diamonds Do Good Responsible Government Award in 2018. Recipients of this year’s Diamonds Do Good Awards are diamond mining giant ALROSA and leading retailers who are part of the Luxury Jewelers Resource Group. The event will be held May 30, 2019, in Las Vegas. For more information visit DiamondsDoGoodAwards.org.
Other D.E.F beneficiaries are located in Botswana, Tanzania, India, and southern Africa.
GIA London Jewelry Career Fair Inspires Attendees to Join the Industry
London, United Kingdom—GIA’s annual London Jewellery Career Fair, held April 5 at the historic Goldsmiths’ Hall, brought together nearly 200 gem and jewelry enthusiasts from across Europe. Job seekers met international and local companies looking to fill more than 60 positions in all areas of the industry, and heard from a panel of experienced industry professionals. They also had an opportunity to spend quality time in one-on-one career coaching with industry experts.
The event opened with a welcome address from GIA London School Director Mehdi Saadian and was followed by a wide-ranging panel discussion on “Job Success in Today’s Market,” moderated by GIA president and CEO Susan Jacques. Peter Buckie, director of Jem Services; Harriet Kelsall, founder and chair of Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery; Faris Saif, associate at Sotheby’s; and Henry Deakin, director of sales at Deakin & Francis all shared insights gleaned from their extensive experience.
Speaking on the value of learning, Buckie began the discussion saying, “I’ve been in [the industry] for 55 years and I’m still learning. Knowledge to me is power, and it starts right here now!”
Kelsall shared advice for starting and growing your own business: “What you need is a bigger idea, a way of combining what you love and do with something a bit fresh, or just putting two concepts together that haven’t been put together.”
Saif spoke about the impact that GIA had on his career. “GIA is a fantastic family more than anything else. One of the key things on my journey was the people I met at GIA and the various [events] like today’s Career Fair.”
Closing out the panel, Deakin discussed the importance of passion. “You need to consider your own heritage. What are your personal values and what matters to you? You’re going to be at work for a long time so you may as well do something that you love.”
The next GIA Jewellery Career Fair will be in Carlsbad, CA on Oct. 11. For more information, visit GIA.edu/career-fair or email careerfair@gia.edu. Follow @GIANews #JewelryJobs for updates.
The opening panel, “Job Success in Today’s Market.” From left: Susan Jacques, GIA president and CEO; Henry Deakin, director of sales at Deakin & Francis; Faris Saif, associate at Sotheby’s; Peter Buckie, director of Jem Services; and Harriet Kelsall, founder and chair of Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery.