Natural Diamond Council (NDC) in partnership with Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC) will launch the first-of-its-kind jewellery education program at Baldwin High School, in Baldwin, New York. The pilot program will begin in the Fall of 2024 and it will explore each sector of the jewellery industry from bench to design to retail.
Kristina Buckley Kayel, Managing Director at NDC, said, “Following the success of the past three years of our Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative (EDDI) program in partnership with Lorraine Schwartz – in which 18 BIPOC designers received unparalleled mentorship, press, vendor access, and retail presence – we remain committed to the growth and advancement of the jewellery industry, with a firm belief in creating opportunities for diverse students aspiring to enter this field. Our ambition is that this program serves as a pilot to be rolled out to high schools across the country,” adds Buckley Kayel.
NDC will subsequently pause the EDDI program in 2024 to ensure optimal support of the NDC x BIJC initiative through a financial grant to fund research and education for the program.
As part of the Academic Academies program at Baldwin High School, the NDC x BIJC jewellery education program will allow students to connect the classroom to the working world through a combination of professional shadow days, internships, and inter-school, regional, and national competitions as well as co-curricular activities. The goal of the program is to provide students with a multitude of learning experiences to ensure they gain the skills and knowledge required to succeed despite the challenges they may face.