(PRESS RELEASE) NEW YORK – Diamond Council of America, a nationally accredited school that allows jewelers to earn professional certifications in diamonds, colored gemstones and fine jewelry sales through distance education, announced that Rebecca Shukan has joined the association as director of the Jewelry Career Readiness Initiative.
The Jewelry Career Readiness Initiative was developed by the Diamond Council of America in 2014 to help create qualified job candidates for the retail jewelry industry. It uses DCA’s accredited distance-education certifications in diamonds, colored gemstones and jewelry sales to supplement the career-readiness programs that exist in most U.S. high schools.
Shukan joins the association after a decade-long career as a private jeweler in Los Angeles. She is a graduate of the GIA and the University of Wisconsin and has held leadership positions in the Women’s Jewelry Association of Los Angeles, the Junior League of Pasadena and the Pasadena Symphony.
As its new director, Shukan is uniquely qualified to take the Jewelry Career Readiness Initiative to new heights, expanding the JCRI program to high schools nationwide and exploring partnerships in other areas including Veterans groups and women re-entering the workforce.
“I am ecstatic to welcome Rebecca to Diamond Council of America. The JCRI program is poised to fill the educational gap and bring fresh talent into our industry. Rebecca’s experience and drive make her the perfect person to lead DCA’s Jewelry Career Readiness Initiative,” said DCA President and CEO Terry Chandler.
Shukan says her vision is “not only to change people’s lives with a career in this industry, but to add new people, energy and ideas to the jewelry industry as well.”
“I am thrilled to work with Terry and the combined Diamond Council of America and Jewelers of America team,” she said.
Earlier this year, DCA became an affiliate of Jewelers of America, moving its headquarters to the Jewelers of America offices in New York in August.
For more information about the Jewelry Career Readiness Initiative, contact Rebecca Shukan at rebecca@diamondcouncil.org or 646-658-5809.