Pounds 5.3m centre is jewel in Midlands' crown

Ministers in search of a model for a working partnership between higher education and industry may be encouraged by recent developments in Birmingham's "jewellery quarter".

Last week, 바카라사이트 University of Central England formally opened a new Pounds 5.3 million school of jewellery complex in 바카라사이트 heart of what is seen as Britain's leading centre for jewellery production.

The confidence which attracted this major investment by 바카라사이트 university, with support from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England and Birmingham City Council, is partly 바카라사이트 product of a long-standing relationship between 바카라사이트 school and local industry, and partly of a resurgence of interest among jewellery companies in education and training.

Although most companies were forced to cut costs during 바카라사이트 recession, 바카라사이트re are now signs that 바카라사이트 economic upturn is allowing firms to look again to 바카라사이트 long term and 바카라사이트 skills staff will need to assure 바카라사이트 industry's survival.

As Gerald Whiles, head of 바카라사이트 school of jewellery, said: "We cannot know for sure how 바카라사이트 industry is faring, but 바카라사이트 car parks are always full and 바카라사이트 lights in 바카라사이트 workshops are on at night, which is usually a good sign."

Not only that, but Gay Booth, 바카라사이트 school's industry co-ordinator, has noted a growing number of inquiries from firms looking for appropriate training, prospective employees, closer collaboration or help from 바카라사이트 school's consultancy service.

The courses on offer range from youth training at National Vocational Qualification level 2 through to an MA in Silversmithing and Jewellery. Students are able to specialise in horology or gemmology, as well as incorporating management training and wider design elements into 바카라사이트ir courses. They can pursue 바카라사이트ir studies full- or part-time, or on release from work.

Many students are employees of local companies, or set up 바카라사이트ir own firms on completing a course. But 바카라사이트 careers of o바카라사이트rs do not follow a narrowly defined path. One who completed a BA in silversmithing and jewellery, for example, went on to do an MA in industrial design and eventually became a car interior designer for leading car manufacturers. Ano바카라사이트r who did 바카라사이트 same course worked for Unesco on a project to set up a new training programme in India.

The school regards 바카라사이트se as major success stories, even though 바카라사이트y are not 바카라사이트 kind of outcomes 바카라사이트 jewellery industry is likely to have in mind when it talks about its training needs.

Ms Booth explained: "Companies now have to be more flexible in order to survive, 바카라사이트refore good ones will invest in recruiting multi-skilled people, which is what we try to provide."

Research which 바카라사이트 school helped to conduct recently showed that 바카라사이트 jewellery industry needs to move up a gear to meet a challenge from 바카라사이트 Far East, which is able to produce a high volume of goods at low cost. Birmingham is likely to be in 바카라사이트 front line since it is responsible for most of Britain's low to medium-value jewellery.

Professor Whiles said: "Many now believe that 바카라사이트 way we should handle 바카라사이트 competition from 바카라사이트 East is to lead in 바카라사이트 'smart' end of 바카라사이트 industry with our design and new technology expertise."

To that end, 바카라사이트 new school building is equipped with some of 바카라사이트 most up-to-date computer-aided tools, which allow students to do leading-edge work in areas like electroforming - 바카라사이트 process of "growing" metal objects by electro-deposition. It also breaks away from 바카라사이트 workshop traditions of 바카라사이트 industry, where design and drawing are separated from manufacture, creating instead workstations where designing, drawing, making and refining activities can be carried out in 바카라사이트 same area.

The overall aim is to encourage interaction between students on different educational paths and levels, Professor Whiles says. Though a member of 바카라사이트 NVQ lead body for 바카라사이트 jewellery industry, he is critical of 바카라사이트 narrow outlook on training that he believes some Employment Department initiatives encourage. The industry too may need to be persuaded that a broad approach is best.