The International Grown Diamond Association (IGDA), a non-profit organization representing the lab grown diamond industry, will underwrite the cost of the International Gemological Institute’s (IGI) Lab Grown Diamond eLearning course for its members. All six of the institute’s diamond-related courses will be offered on IGDA’s Training and Education page.
“IGI pioneered lab-grown diamond grading and is the leader in that sector today,” says IGDA Leadership Committee member Marty Hurwitz. “We believe their eLearning course should be a staple of IGDA membership, to ensure that lab-grown diamonds are interpreted fairly and factually.”
Technological advancement within the lab-grown industry means new developments will regularly be introduced. IGI anticipated the need for systematic updates over time when developing its eLearning courses.
“Now, more than ever, lab grown diamonds need a common voice and consistent message,” noted IGDA President Dick Garard. “As lab grown diamonds experience expanding consumer acceptance and explosive growth in the market, we are pleased to provide the most reliable, up to date education on our platform in partnership with IGI.”
According to IGI, an eLearning Course takes typically takes less than 45 minutes to complete. The curriculum is designed to teach core gemological facts, while emphasizing points of interest professionals can use in-store with clients right away. The courses are uniquely interactive, resulting in higher engagement than traditional online education. Users answer questions along the way, verifying material is understood, before proceeding to the next section. Each course ends with a 12-question quiz. When passed with a score of 80% or better the learner receives a PDF summary with all course material, along with supplemental information.
“We know the diamond and jewelry industry can be very confusing to navigate,” observes IGI North American President Avi Levy. “Our goal is to deliver precise and current information which is affordable and accessible to everyone. For stores with more than five employees we can arrange volume licensing, so the entire staff can benefit.”
A component of IGDA’s stated mission is to serve as an “authentic knowledge source for lab-grown diamonds for both consumers and trade.” Along with ensuring fair and factual interpretation, encouraging ethical industry practices and standards, and fostering cooperation, the organization hopes to lead members across industrial, government and consumer forums and work collectively to resolve any issues that impact the lab-grown diamond industry.