[Jewelry making - Article 00572] - [Orchid] GIA Grad. Jeweler Diploma...Worth it???

[Warren]

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    Hi All, A family member has offered to help me attend the GIA in
    Carlbad CA and get the Graduate Jewelers Diploma. This is a 26 week
    course and costs $13,000 most of which can be made with student
    loans. It will be an expense to be sure and quite a commitment, but
    is it worth it? I have had exactly zero hours of formal training
    having been buying books and tools for the past 10 years and trying
    differnt things. I'm pretty good at whipping 20-40 $20-$50 rings a
    day, not a bad days work actually but have never learned the "finer
    jewelry" techniques- almost never work in gold. 

    Local JC teaches metal work but it would take 3 years to gather the
    GIA experience and probably not match the quaility.. or would it??
    The thing is I have suplimented my jewelry income with some web
    design and carpentry but a recent injury has me dropping the
    carpentry and 1/2 my income as well. Even though I can make a quick
    inventory of silver items my marketing skills leave something to be
    desired and I just barely make ends meet. I would welcome the
    opportunity to work for someone for a few years to pay for the
    schooling and have a little financial stability for a while. 

    So.. are any of you out there GIA GJ's? What did you think of the
    experience? I live 10 miles away so it would be the closest to me
    and I could continue one of my web jobs to pay bills while attending.
    I have till the beginning of the year to decide as that's when
    financial aid forms are mailed. 

    Feel free to respond off list to me at: notrix AT cox.net 

Thanks,
Warren Allen
Whatrix Designs


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