Hello!

[paul.paul]

Hi everyone, I'm happy to have found this place, since there are a lot of experts here, maybe someone could help point me in the right direction.

I'm 24 years old, looking to start working in the jewellery industry as a bench worker and maybe move on up from there.
Found a course taught at a place called "In The Studio Jewellery" in Lecestershire, UK , it's a week-long course for beginners, I'm booking it for next week.
My question to you is: should I look for an apprenticeship afterwards or start work directly? Any kind of info you can share is deeply appreciated.

Thank you, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you

[CJ57]

Hi Paul
Exciting times. You don't say if you have any experience at all so I can only speak from my experience.
I'm Art College trained so that was 3 and a bit years and I'm still learning new skills nearly 40 years on.
Hopefully James Miller who is a master craftsman and was an apprentice will put his views so he can advise better. If I had the choice you will learn more and differently as an apprentice but it depends what you want to achieve in the end, what kind of jewellery you have thought about making.

Hope this helps a little Caroline

[paul.paul]

Thank you for the reply Caroline!
I don't have any experience in working with jewellery , which is why I would like to learn some general, widely used techniques, and see where I can go from there.

How does one find an apprenticeship? Ask around at family-owned workshops? Because online, I can't find any listings.
Apologies if I'm asking this in the wrong section, I can repost it, if necessary.

[CJ57]

Taking your weeks course will give you a starting point to see if it's something you really want to take forward. I've just read what they offer in a week which seems quite intensive but quote "You will be able to use this new knowledge in many different ways to create your own designs at home after completing the course." Unquote doesn't lead me to think you can then start your own workshop without previous experience of basic tool skills and the cost of getting together what you might need to get you started.

There are many people who have learnt their skills online, with books and topping up with more specialist courses and have gone on to be very successful. It's possible to learn almost anything online but you can't beat one to one experience as well.
I'd suggest search past posts on here, there is an amazing fund of information to read through. There have been many posts re teaching videos/courses etc but as I don't use them they haven't locked in my brain but they are on here!

I don't know about apprenticeships, I'm up in Scotland and we haven't got the jewellers quarters up here as you would say Birmingham or London. I do know that I had a student contact me this year looking for placements for 3 or 6 months anywhere in Scotland, I posted it on the relative forums and there was little response. Maybe it just doesn't happen anymore.
You could try approaching some of the higher end jewellers and maybe during your course they'll be able to advise in your area.

Hope someone else will pop by with something more concrete, it's very quiet on here just now

[paul.paul]

Thanks again Caroline, I really appreciate taking your time to help :)
I'll talk with the people teaching the course, see if they know more about apprenticeships, although I've been on the phone with them earlier, and asked whether their course is "jewellery as a hobby" or "jewellery as a profession". They said it's very professional, and that they've had people who found work afterwards.

I'll make sure and post whatever happens on this forum, might help someone else later on.

[CJ57]

Good luck, hope you enjoy it

[Paul Kay]

paul.paul try here also, there are sometimes junior/trainee/apprentice jobs advertised: https://benchpeg.com/jobs

From another paul

[paul.paul]

Thanks Paul, most of the jobs I see here offer training on-site, it's ideal!

[Elinor]

Hey Paul!

I've been taking courses in silversmithing and different techniques and hope i could help with my advice :)
I took a basic course for 10 months and still was not ready to work and produce on my own... now after two and a half years of taking more courses talking to different teachers and masters and working on my own things.
An internship would be a good idea and from what i understood the best way is to go to a silversmith shop and look if they have posters for people looking or to talk to artist near you and ask if they have an opening.

Good luck and hope you find what you need :)

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