A group of students in the UK’s first T-Level jewellery course say they want to save the trade from becoming a “dying art” as skilled workers retire and fewer young people enter the field.
Aston University and the Goldsmiths’ Company Charity launched the program in September with five students, including 18-year-old Joana Silva. After noticing a lack of new talent in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, Silva felt compelled to join the industry.
“When I visited [jewellery firm] Toye, Kenning and Spencer, their only engraver was 86,” she said. “Why wouldn’t I want to help?”
The students received support from The Leopards, a charity founded by top jewellers, which provided 10 custom toolboxes funded by De Beers.
Carol Woolton, a former Vogue jewellery editor and Leopards member, said the industry is “crying out for people.” The group hopes to expand support to other schools to spark interest in the craft.
Celebrity jeweller Theo Fennell, another Leopards member, praised the Birmingham institute as a gateway to the trade. “It can be a job for life,” he said. “Turning a passion into a career makes you a happy soul.”
Renowned jeweller Stephen Webster called the students’ work “extraordinary” but warned that “craft skills are being lost.”
Daniel Locke-Wheaton, principal of Aston’s Goldsmiths Institute, said Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter faces a looming crisis. “The workforce is aging, and skills are disappearing,” he said. “Without action, we could lose this industry to overseas competitors.”
Tutor Collette Waudby echoed the concern, stressing the need for fresh talent to sustain the historic trade hub.
The first graduates in 2026 will be offered apprenticeships or jobs with local firms like Bespoke Quarter, which produces jewellery for retailers nationwide.
Co-founder Andrew Cowley said recruitment is tough. “We’re not swamped with applicants,” he admitted. “This T-Level is vital to keep British manufacturing alive.”
Fennell summed up the mission: “If you can turn a beloved hobby into your job, you’ve won.”
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