Jewellery makers, SMEs, manufacturing employers, and retailers with workshops across the UK are being invited by the British Academy of Jewellery (BAJ) to a free online webinar on how apprenticeships can help ease operational pressure, support production, and build long-term skills across the jewellery industry.
For many businesses, the challenge is not just finding skilled help but maintaining day-to-day production while training the next generation of skilled jewellers
Titled “Strengthen Your Jewellery Business Through Apprenticeships,” the session will explore how the BAJ apprenticeship programme works in practice, the funding and employer support available, and how businesses can recruit, train, and integrate an apprentice into a working workshop to support output, develop practical skills, and build long-term capability across the trade.
The free online webinar takes place on 29 April 2026 at 4 pm and will be repeated on 12 May 2026 at 10 am, with each session lasting approximately 45 minutes.
The webinar is aimed at workshop owners, makers, and those responsible for training or managing staff. It is particularly relevant for SMEs, manufacturing employers, and retailers with workshops under pressure to maintain output while developing reliable bench support and long-term skills within their teams.
Apprenticeships combine structured learning with hands-on workshop experience, allowing trainees to build practical skills while contributing to business operations from an early stage.
Across the sector, SMEs, manufacturing employers, and retailers with workshops are increasingly using this model as a way of passing on essential jewellery industry skills that are difficult to replace, particularly in setting, finishing, and traditional manufacturing processes.
The approach is already being adopted by established workshops, including Hockley Mint, who have worked with BAJ to integrate apprentices into live production settings.
“Apprenticeships are becoming an increasingly important way for SMEs, manufacturing employers, and retailers with workshops to develop practical bench skills while maintaining production. This is a great opportunity for employers to have their questions answered regarding Jewellery, Silversmithing, and Allied Trade Professional Apprenticeships.”
– Miranda Sharpe, BAJ’s Apprenticeship Coordinator and Birmingham Centre Lead
Further Information about the apprenticeship programme is available on the BAJ website.
Registration for the free online webinar is available via Eventbrite.
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