Assay Office Birmingham and City University’s School of Jewellery to set up educational centre

Assay Office Birmingham has joined hands with Birmingham City University’s School of Jewellery, to establish a centre of learning excellence for the Midlands jewellery trade. With this collaboration, the University’s gemmology department will move into new, state-of-the-art premises at 1 Moreton Street in the Jewellery Quarter, enabling further development of gemmological training for School of Jewellery students.

The relocation is slated to be completed by end-2015 and will provide facilities for 90 full-time and part-time gemmology students from Birmingham City University, as well as access to the highest specification of equipment available for gemmological education within the UK.

Through access to equipment for testing diamonds at Assay Office Birmingham’s AnchorCert Gem Laboratory, the School of Jewellery will also have increased opportunity for gemmological research, whilst combining the knowledge and expertise of subject specialist staff with a diverse, international student population.

“This partnership will provide students with access to resources they otherwise wouldn’t have had, as well as opportunities for members of the public and those seeking further personal development to access new training courses and work placements,” said Gaynor Andrews, Head of the School of Jewellery. He further added that, “Positioning an educational resource within a working environment will also stimulate Assay Office Birmingham employees to undertake continual professional development, therefore supporting an upskilling of the existing workforce”.

Stella Layton, Assay Office Birmingham CEO and Assay Master, said: “The School of Jewellery has an excellent reputation both in the UK and internationally and we see great value in this collaboration which will be of huge mutual benefit and contribute to the significant development of the School’s gemmological courses. Assay Office Birmingham has been a supporter of the School since its inception and we are pleased to still be working with them 125 years on.”