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Tiffany & Co. Offers Jewelry Apprenticeships as Young People Question College October 26, 2023 (2 comments)

New York, NY--Many of today's youth are reevaluating the importance of a college degree.

[Image via Creative Commons]

In light of this, Tiffany & Co. doesn't necessarily require a college diploma on an applicant's résumé.

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the owner of Tiffany & Co., has broadened a program designed to train individuals as artisans skilled in crafting Tiffany's luxurious jewelry.

According to a Business Insider report, Gena Smith, LVMH North America's chief human resources officer, said, "Some of these professions have kind of been dying a little bit." 

She added, "We love to be able to bring people into the organization at an early point in their career, and create a robust pipeline for us for the future." 

The primary aim for LVMH is to nurture artisans, like jewelers, especially when finding good hires becomes challenging.

Announced on Thursday, the company has initiated a two-year bench jewelry apprenticeship. This partnership involves Tiffany and the Rhode Island School of Design. Bench jewelers typically have the expertise to design, produce, and mend jewelry.

The surge in college costs and the resumption of student-loan payments post-pandemic have prompted many Gen Zers to reconsider higher education. The report noted that US college enrollment has decreased by 9.8% since 2010, states Education Data Initiative.

Tiffany's Rhode Island workshop currently has seven apprentices, while their New York workshop, which started its program in 2022, accommodates eight. Expansion plans for both these programs are set for 2024.

These apprenticeship models are under LVMH's Métiers d'Excellence initiative, established in 2014. Through collaborations with colleges and universities, these programs facilitate the training process. LVMH's commitment to imparting craftsmanship is evident, with 75% of participants securing jobs in 2021 and 2022, per the report.

LVMH is also exploring new apprenticeship avenues in the US, with one through the Benefit Cosmetics brand in San Francisco, and there are plans to introduce more across its brands.

Learn more in the entire Business Insider report.