Press Releases

GIA Offers Essentials eLearning Courses at No Charge

The offer is available from May 4 through June 29.

Published

4 years ago

May 6, 2020

INSTORE Staff

(PRESS RELEASE) CARLSBAD, CA – As the global gem and jewelry industry navigates through the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is making access to its introductory courses easier than ever before. From May 4, 2020 through June 29, 2020, the GIA Essentials online courses in diamonds, colored stones and jewelry will be available at no cost for first-time enrollments.

Get additional details and apply here.
This limited time opportunity teaches the fundamentals needed for a profession in gems and jewelry. By completing the three GIA Essentials eLearning courses, students may earn the GIA Applied Jewelry Professional™ (AJP) diploma. Eligible courses include Jewelry Essentials (GEM 110), Colored Stone Essentials (GEM 120) and Diamond Essentials (GEM 130).

“Giving access to these foundational courses during this unprecedented time is part of our mission,” said Duncan Pay, senior vice president and chief academic officer of GIA. “Helping to train gem and jewelry professionals ultimately protects consumers and helps to ensure their trust.”

“By offering this course at no cost, GIA is providing the AGS community the opportunity to further develop their gemological knowledge. In turn, this allows our members to better serve consumers,” said Katherine Bodoh, CEO of the American Gem Society. “I appreciate the investment GIA is making in our industry by giving back in so many ways.”

The Essentials courses are entirely online and allow students to work at their own pace within the three-month maximum completion period for each course. These courses are required for many other GIA credential programs. No prior experience or gemological equipment is necessary for these courses.

For press inquiries, please contact Nellie Barnett at nbarnett@gia.edu or +1 760-603-4184.

When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”