Up until the end of the 20th century, most traditional educational institutions were focused more on providing theoretical knowledge. But, with time, the Indian education system has evolved to accommodate the growing demand for skilled workers, and the concept of vocational education came into action.
With the Indian economy growing at more than 6.9% every year, it is estimated that around 109 million skilled workers will be needed to support the economy. With so many workers finding their way into the system, there is a need for vocational programs to help bridge the skill gap.
Vocational education is also referred to as career education or technical education, as it prepares people to work in various fields of trade, craft, and technology. Vocational education uses various forms of formal, non-formal, and informal learning.
The Government of India has been investing in vocational education and training (VET) to create a sufficient pool of skilled talent and to improve the standards of the current educational system.
Vocational education has also become an integral part of the Indian education system and the celebration of “Youth Skills Day” and “India Skills Competition” only further emphasizes the government’s intentions of skilling young people for employment through vocational training.
The gem and jewelry sector in India is one of the top sectors in terms of skilled employment generation. The sector generates 5 million employment opportunities for skilled and semi-skilled workers. Few educational institutes offer vocational training in the field of gemology and jewelry designing to aspirants interested in the gem and jewelry industry.
The gem and jewelry industry offers several opportunities across its supply chain, and all these opportunities can be tapped with a vocational training program. Some of the most commonly seen career opportunities in this sector include:
Auction Specialist: This is someone who conducts an auction and controls the bidding. They are generally involved in the sale of high-end jewelry pieces.
Gemstone Grader: This is someone who uses microscopes, grading machines, and specialized tools to examine gemstones.
Gemstone Research Professional: This is someone who studies new gem material and its composition.
Jewelry Designer: This is someone who illustrates jewelry designs on paper, for them to be later transformed into wearable jewelry.
As an aspirant looking for job opportunities in the gem and jewelry industry, one can choose to specialize in one of the numerous career paths. A few top educational institutes offer specialized courses on colored stones, diamond grading, gemstone identification, jewelry designing, and much more.
Apart from this, a handful of institutes also offer remote learning and blended learning programs that provide students the flexibility of completing the course, while continuing to meet their other commitments.
Vocational training is still at an infancy level in India, and yet it is having a robust impact on the educational system. However, industries and educational institutes are collaborating to continuously offer an improved curriculum that satisfies the needs of the economy and students. So, if you want to pursue a career in the gem and jewelry industry, a professional education from a reputed institute is an important step forward in the industry.