CCoI Jewellery and Goldsmithing Skills and Design Course

Course Duration

Contact

Full time September - July 2 years (44 weeks per year) including a work placement scheme in year 2.

Student enrolment is on a bi-annual basis.

Please visit our website www.ccoi.ie for full course details and downloadable application form. For further information on the course contact Eimear Conyard, Course Trainer: Email: education@ccoi.ie Tel: +353 (0)56 779 6149

Course Fees There are no course fees applicable.

Application and selection process • Applicants must be EU citizens • Applicants must be 18yrs or over • Second level qualification/Level 3 NFQ

Crafts Council of Ireland Castle Yard, Kilkenny, Ireland Tel: +353 (0)56 776 1804 Fax:+353 (0)56 776 3754

Jewellery and Goldsmithing Skills and Design Course

• Application • Interview • Portfolio / 3D work • Bench test

Cathal Barber

Kevin McDonald Loretta Haughey

Crafts Council of Ireland

Brian Miller

The Crafts Council of Ireland’s (CCoI) Jewellery and Goldsmithing Skills and Design Course is a unique programme designed to equip graduates with the practical skills needed to develop careers in the jewellery industry in Ireland and internationally. This course is the only one of its kind in Ireland and is comparable to leading Goldsmithing courses in Europe.

This intensive two-year programme is located at the Crafts Council of Ireland’s headquarters in Kilkenny. This course specialises in the tradition of precious metals and gemstones, covering design, quantity production techniques and manufacture. Specialist subjects such as engraving, enamelling, gemology, stone setting and silversmithing are taught by tutors who are trained experts from within the jewellery industry in Ireland and abroad.

Anne Marie Killeen

Field Trips

International field trips to trade shows in Germany and the UK are undertaken providing exposure to the latest trends and developments in design and manufacture across Europe. Work placements within the jewellery industry in Ireland are organised during 2nd Year.

Sorcha O’Horain

The combination of traditional skills, craftmanship and innovative thinking are key to this course being a commercial success for many.

The unique aspect of this course is the development of skills in areas that have significant practical application to the Jewellery industry. Students learn to develop and combine processes to create intricate pieces of work using advanced fine jewellery techniques. Design development is an important and integral element of project work encouraging individuality in ideas and design. Introduction to CAD CAM and new technologies in jewellery production are facilitated by expert goldsmiths utilising these techniques within their own practice.

Student Cohort

Gregory Lafford

Jewellery students come from a wide variety of backgrounds from post second level to art college graduates. The Jewellery and Goldsmithing Skills and Design Course promotes self-directed learning and development with open access to fully equipped workshops to industry standard seven days a week.

Veronica Roden

Exhibition Opportunities

Graduate Prospects

Participation in Showcase Ireland gives students the opportunity to experience Ireland’s premier craft, gift, fashion and interiors fair, which encompasses design, production, hallmarking, pricing and marketing.

The graduate exhibition is held in the National Craft Gallery in Kilkenny, showcasing each student’s body of work produced during the two-year course. This opportunity provides a springboard for future careers in craft.

On completion of the course the graduates have the confidence and competency to enter the jewellery industry and have a high employment success rate.

Many choose to go into jewellery workshops for further training in Ireland and overseas.

A high percentage eventually set up their own businesses or progress to further training or higher education courses. The combination of environment, facilities, expertise in training and the relevance of the course curriculum to the jewellery industry are what makes this a unique course within jewellery training in Ireland.