Students demonstration choice by George Brown College to downsize fashion jewelry and gemmology programs

Scores of George Brown College trainees marched in demonstration on Wednesday versus an institution choice to downsize several of its fashion jewelry and gemmology programs this loss.

Protest coordinators stated trainees desire the university to maintain its three-year fashion jewelry arts, two-year fashion jewelry approaches and 1 year gemmology programs, claiming they are one-of-a-kind in Canada and offer trainees with important hands-on discovering. All 3 programs become part of the university’s institution of style and fashion jewelry.

Waving flags and using pins, George Brown College trainees collected at the university’s Casa Loma university, after that headed to its waterside university, where they hand-delivered letters of issue to institution authorities.

The university claims several of its fashion jewelry and gemmology programs will certainly decline brand-new trainees this September partially as a result of a decrease in enrolment. On its web site, the university suggests it is just approving brand-new trainees for its 1 year fashion jewelry basics program this loss.

“To shut it down is not only a slap in the face but also just so backwards because it’s like we’re regressing,” Ghazal Ghahreman, a first-year trainee in fashion jewelry arts, informed CBC Toronto throughout the march. “This program is absolutely invaluable.”

Holding a “Save GBC Jewellery” indicator, Ghahreman stated the programs offer trainees with technological abilities and prepare them for jobs in the fashion jewelry market in Canada once they finish. Jewelry business in Canada employ grads, she included.

‘To closed it down is not just a put in the face yet likewise so in reverse due to the fact that it resembles we’re falling back,’ Ghazal Ghahreman, a first-year trainee in fashion jewelry arts, claims. ‘This program is definitely vital.’ (CBC)

In a letter to the university, Ghahreman stated: “You are not simply closing doors to students like myself, but shutting out the future of countless professionals, the artisans, and innovators who will come after us, leaving them adrift without the foundation this program has provided for over half a century.”

College condemns worldwide trainee cap

In a declaration Wednesday, the university stated a government cap on worldwide trainees has actually produced problems for universities throughout Canada.

“Recent federal policy changes have reduced international student enrolment, creating financial challenges across the sector,” the declaration stated partially.

“Program reviews are an ongoing process, with decisions based on factors such as enrolment trends, financial sustainability, and labour market demand. The Jewellery and Gemmology programs remain valued at George Brown College, and we are working with sector partners to assess future opportunities.”

The university claims existing trainees in excellent standing will certainly have the ability to finish “without disruption” and it is supplying assistance to professors.

On its web site, the university claims: “We are one of North America’s largest and best-equipped jewellery schools in Ontario. You’ll get to work with your hands and learn from faculty who are experts in this growing industry, using precious metals and gems in a hands-on environment with state-of-the-art tools and equipment.”

A sight of George Brown College’s Casa Loma university. (CBC)

Lua Hariri, an objection coordinator and a first-year trainee in the fashion jewelry approaches program, stated prior to the march that the choice not to approve brand-new trainees is ravaging to trainees.

“Honestly, I feel disheartened. I’m really upset with the situation, especially since I’ve just started. I’ve never seen a group of people be so upset about something and so emotional about something. We’ve had people crying. We’ve had people emotionally distressed,” Hariri stated.

“It’s just a really, really tough time for all of us. We want this program to stay alive. We all care about it like it’s our own. We also love the teachers as if they are family and to see them be affected by this as well — it’s just completely heartbreaking.”

Hariri stated the time out of the program will certainly impact the fashion jewelry market in Canada.

“If you ask anyone who is in Toronto who works in the jewelry industry, pretty much all of them will say that they came out of George Brown and everyone speaks so highly of it because it really is one-of-a-kind program,” she stated.

“George Brown is completely hands on. We get a wide array of perspectives from people who are in the industry themselves as well as students and alumni who are part of the community. It’s not really just a school to us, it’s a really broad community.”

Grads claim programs made them career-ready

Two grads claim the programs have actually aided them greatly in their jobs.

Erin Hakin, a custom-made jewelry expert and jeweler currently based in Vancouver, stated she finished from the three-year jewelry arts program in 2014. She likewise won a 6 month scholarship, a business honor, from Made You Look, a Toronto fashion jewelry shop and workshop, where she had the ability to pupil.

At George Brown, nevertheless, she found out “everything,” consisting of just how to make attractive wedding celebration fashion jewelry, just how to make devices and just how to fix fashion jewelry. She likewise found out about the buildings of gems. She stated she thinks it’s the most detailed program in Canada.

The choice not to approve brand-new trainees is “terrible,” Hakin stated.

“Especially right now, where we’re in this tariff war and we’re talking about Buy Canadian, if we don’t have Canadian jewelers, then all manufacturing is going to go elsewhere. And this will just it’ll kneecap our industry if we don’t have young people coming out anymore,” Hakin stated.

“From my perspective, I also think it’s so important to learn how to do things the right way. And this program was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life… but it was so rewarding. And I think it’s so important that when you go to a jeweler that they have that foundation.

” I believe it needs to be conserved.”

< figcaption course=” caption-collapse”>Mel Rapp

Mel Rapp, an independent retail optician, says: ‘The sadness is that for a young person who wants to learn a trade, and then from that trade, maybe segue into another industry, which a lot of jewelers will do, they won’t have that opportunity.’ (Submitted by Mel Rapp)

Mel Rapp, an independent retail optician and owner of a retail optical dispensary called Rapp Optical Ltd., said he graduated in 2000 and applied the techniques he learned to his eyewear business.

“The unhappiness is that for a young adult that intends to find out a profession, and after that from that profession, possibly segue right into an additional market, which a great deal of jewelry experts will certainly do, they will not have that chance,” Rapp said.

“Without the correct guideline and without the devotion of the trainers at George Brown, I would certainly not recognize half things that I recognize today.”