MAKING IT HAPPEN

1

HOLTS ACADEMY – OUR FIRST 15 YEARS OF ‘MAKING IT HAPPEN’

It’s funny when you look back on things and ask yourself – “Is this really what I intended to happen?” A little like my eldest daughter just turning 15 this year too. How did she grow up so quickly?

It’s similar to how I feel about the Academy. What happened? I remember my sense of urgency that somebody needed to do something about the shortage of skills; arguing to Government that we needed a talent pool for our businesses to survive; persuading Holts’ team of craftsmen to teach the skills we mastered and pass them onto the next generation. It all started from our small basement workshop in Hatton Garden. That was in 1999 – 15 years ago. Now look at Holts Academy – a fully fledged young teenager with its potential unleashed.

This report gives you a good idea of what has been achieved along the way, the impact it has had on thousands of individuals and companies across the UK and how it has changed lives.

SOME FASCINATING HIGHLIGHTS

The Academy has taught almost 6,000 people of whom 78% are employed in the sector. One of the highest employment rates of any training provider in the UK. For every £1 we earn we generate £10 of value added to the economy. The Academy has been at the forefront of the regeneration of the sector and brought parties together in a previously fragmented industry.

A typical teenager, our eldest daughter doesn’t always listen to us. My wife and I did our best to instill our values

FORWARD

in her, but it’s now her friends, her teachers (we hope!) and the world she pays attention to. So much the same with the Academy. The Academy is now run by an incredible team of gifted individuals. Lee has been fantastic at taking the Academy from toddler to teenager. Ruth, Romina, Amanda and Rebecca, and their teams; our superb teachers – the face of the Academy – my thanks to each of you. And to you the jewellery and creative industries. The Academy is there for you to shape, so that it gives everyone the platform they need in their journey of learning for the rest of their lives.

Thank you for supporting the Academy these 15 years. We have the foundation – what an exciting future we have in front of us.

Jason Holt Founder

32

2009 2010 2011 201420132012

£5,000,000

£10,000,000

£15,000,000

£20,000,000

£25,000,000

75% TOTAL GVA CONTRIBUTION OF ACADEMY TO UK INDUSTRY

18% TAX PAYMENTS TO HMRC FROMGRADUATES

7% SAVING TO DEPARTMENT OF WORK AND PENSIONS

TOTAL GVA CONTRIBUTION OF ACADEMY TO UK INDUSTRY

SAVING TO DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS

TAX PAYMENTS TO HMRC FROM GRADUATES

IMPACT SINCE 2007

IMPACT

At Holts Academy we have spent 15 years pioneering training, education and Apprenticeships in response to industry demand.

In that time over 3,500 people have studied on our short courses, over 2,000 nationally recognised qualifications have been awarded through us (of which almost 200 are the first Apprenticeships in over a generation) and over 2,000 employees of jewellery businesses have been trained through us.

The impact of the Academy on the jewellery sector has been immense.

INDUSTRY IMPACT

The Academy has trained or supported 16% of UK Jewellery Businesses and over 9% of the entire jewellery workforce, our reach is growing each year.

We have extended to Apprenticeship delivery nationwide, with centres of delivery in London, the South East and Birmingham.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

The Academy has delivered £67m of value add for the UK economy. With over £12m savings to the Department for Work & Pensions in benefits payments and £62m in direct revenues for HMRC via our graduates PAYE.

The Academy’s Graduates are responsible for £4.7m of the Jewellery Industries GVA (Gross Value Added) which represents 3% of the total GVA of the industry.

For every £1 we receive in income we generate almost £10 of value added to the economy.

100%

90%

80%

70%

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Holts Grade National Average

*OFSTED Data Dashboard

ACHIEVEMENT DATA – HOLTS ACADEMY VERSUS NATIONAL AVERAGE BY COURSE LEVEL

9% JEWELLERY RETAIL

12% TRADITIONAL DESIGN

59% JEWELLERYMANUFACTURE

7% EMPLOYABILITY &PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

1% RETAIL 2% CREATIVE ENTERPRISE

10% PRECIOUS METALS CAD CAM

ENROLMENTS BY SUBJECT

£16,000

£22,785

AVERAGE WAGE UK MANUFACTURE

AVERAGE WAGE HOLTS ACADEMY GRADUATES

NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT RATE 7%

HOLTS ACADEMY EMPLOYMENT RATE 78%

GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT RATE FOR LEVEL 2 AND 3 COLLEGE PROVISION *FE CHOICES

ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT

CUMULATIVE FINANCIAL IMPACT 2008 – 2014 £67 MILLION

EMPLOYMENT IMPACT

We have helped create over 600 new jobs and filled more than 1200 vacancies.

We have helped our graduates start over 250 new businesses.

We have helped transform the lives of over 400 young people and previously unemployed adults by helping them secure employment and improve their economic independence, no longer needing benefits.

We have further enhanced the industry by safeguarding over 320 jobs through additional skills training and upskilling, whilst helping businesses generate over £500,000 of new sales.

78% of our graduates are in employment or self-employment after their studies with us, that’s 70% higher than those who study at a general Further Education College.

Our graduates earn 42% more than the average wage of UK manufacturers.

EDUCATIONAL IMPACT

We are proud to have pioneered and written our qualifications and programmes of study – in most cases these represent the first and only qualifications developed for the industry – at all stages we have involved industry to ensure that they are fit for purpose and deliver the skills industry finds most valuable.

Our success rates on qualification programmes exceed national averages.

Our achievement rates on qualification programmes consistently outstrip national college rates (this is something we are extremely proud of, especially considering that a quarter of our learners come to us without any prior qualifications and over 70% come to us only holding GCSE equivalent qualifications).

Our student population remains diverse with over 50% of our students being from non-white British backgrounds and of those declaring additional needs over half have dyslexia and a quarter dyspraxia and more than one fifth have other disabilities or learning difficulties.

1614 GRADUATES600 NEW JOBS CREATED

1200 VACANCIES FILLED252 BUSINESSES CREATED

1200 BUSINESSES IMPROVED321 JOBS SAFEGUARDED

400 PEOPLE OFF BENEFITS

£16,000

£22,785

AVERAGE WAGE UK MANUFACTURE

AVERAGE WAGE HOLTS ACADEMY GRADUATES

NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT RATE 7%

HOLTS ACADEMY EMPLOYMENT RATE 78%

HOLTS ACADEMY GRADUATES EARN 42% MORE THAN THE AVERAGE WAGE *OFFICE OF NATIONAL STATISTICS

54

WORKING FOR THE JEWELLERY INDUSTRY

Since it was established in 1999, Holts Academy has been a force for good in the jewellery industry.

During our first decade we dedicated ourselves to upskilling the industry. By spearheading a number of initiatives we have brokered funding from development agencies which has been invested in helping businesses to grow through developing talent, embracing new technologies and manufacturing solutions, embedding ethical practice, creating valuable networks, developing new markets, new services, new products and an improved bottom line.

From 1999 to 2014 we have:

Trained 1,500 employees of jewellery businesses,

Supported almost 1,000 businesses with CAD CAM training and advice,

Helped create over 80 new partnerships and networks,

Helped businesses to create 802 new products or services,

Safeguarded 320 jobs and created 600 new ones,

Secured employment for 150 new employees,

Generated over half a million (£540k) of new sales.

For more information about our business services call our team on 020 7405 0197 or visit www.holtsacademy.com

The BESPOKE TRAINING & TECHNOLOGY Project 2006–2009 This project was funded through the

European Social Fund and was delivered

by working in partnership with the London

Borough of Camden’s Change Act Share

team. The project aimed to partner

designers and manufacturers playing to the

core business strengths of each to develop

new products and partnerships. Through

the project 94 businesses were supported

and 81 new partnerships and networks

were created leading to 75 new products

and initiatives.

The FUTURE IN THE MAKING Project 2006–2009 This project was funded by the London Development

Agency and the City Fringe Partnership as part of the

Jewellery Sector Investment Plan, working with the

London Borough of Camden and London Jewellery

First. As project lead Holts Academy also worked with

Palmer Hamilton Partnership and Aldyth Crowther

to deliver intensive support and development to

mid-career jewellery professionals over 3 years to

help evolve their businesses. In addition over 220

businesses and self-employed individuals accessed

training through the project. Many of these businesses

broke the ceiling between small and medium sized

enterprises and are now internationally known brands.

The SONAR Project 2007 In 2007 Newham College Centre for Innovation

and Partnerships in collaboration with Holts

Academy opened ‘Holts at Sonar’ London’s

only CAD CAM training and development

centre for the jewellery industry at Temple Yard,

Bethnal Green. The centre provided facilities

to encourage experienced jewellers to adopt

more modern jewellery manufacturing methods

in order to remain competitive. The project

benefited 35 individuals and marked the starting

point of new technologies being adopted by

the industry.

The WOMEN INTO JEWELLERY Project 2006–2008 Funded by the London Development Agency and

delivered in partnership with Newham College, the

project supported 79 businesses with new skills,

secured employment for 94 learners and helped 272

woman undertake industry standard training which led

to 35 gaining nationally recognised qualifications. The

project provided the opportunity to pioneer and trial

the industry’s first suite of vocational qualifications.

The ETHIC Project 2008 This project was funded through the European

Social Fund. Working in partnership with Newham

College Centre for Innovation and Partnerships,

Holts Academy supported 35 businesses to embed

ethical supply chains, business practices and make

environmental improvements.

The LONDON STYLE Project 2010–2011 This project was funded through the European

Social Fund and was delivered in partnership

with Newham College Centre for Innovation and

Partnerships. The project aimed to support micro

businesses improve their financial performance

and generate sales in new markets. The project

supported 190 businesses and generated over half

a million pounds of new sales.

2014: Craft TRAILBLAZERHolts Academy is proud to have supported the thirty-five craft disciplines making up British Craft as the lead training provider in the Government’s Trailblazer initiative. This is to support the development of meaningful Apprenticeship qualifications in the wider craft sector. British craftsmanship is renowned around the world yet in recent generations has been in decline. With the new standard (which has just been given Government approval) comes a new era when to be a Craftsperson can once again be a coveted position in Society.

APPRENTICESHIPS Holts Academy works with employers to place and train apprentices throughout the UK – see the Apprenticeship section on page 12.

JOB ShopHolts Academy runs a matching service between employers and prospective employers in order to support our learners and the industry.

WORKSPACEHolts Academy maintains a number of professional jewellery workshops in Hatton Garden that allow micro businesses the chance to operate in the heart of London’s jewellery quarter at below market rates. This is just one of the many ways the Academy is ensuring the cluster of jewellery businesses operating in Hatton Garden continues to flourish.

2014: CAD Consultancy Building on our track record of leading Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacture training for the industry for the past 10 years, in 2014 we launched our CAD CAM consultancy service. Offering businesses the opportunity to access our world class specialist tutors for guidance and 1:1 training this service helps businesses find workable solutions and make improvements in their CAD CAM processes. We continue to lead the market with our CAD short courses and our CAD Design for Jewellery Production Diplomas.

2014:PROFESSIONAL RETAIL DEvELOPMENTAfter 5 years of careful development, in 2014 we announced our new Professional Retail Development programme. Offering an affordable bespoke training solution for jewellery retail staff alongside a mystery shopper service, we are now working with the British Jewellers Assocation, Company of Master Jewellers, National Association of Goldsmiths and Brown and Newirth Ltd to help jewellery retailers around the UK and Europe. So far the Academy has trained over 2,000 employees including those working for TK Maxx’s new fine jewellery department, Beaverbrooks, Astley Clarke, the Pawnbrokers Association and many independents. Formally launched at International Jewellery London at Olympia 2014 we look forward to supporting many more retailers and jewellery retailers in the years to come.

76

SOME ExAMPLES OF OUR WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE:

We have partnered with organisations such as The Mayor’s Fund for London, East London Business Alliance, Hackney Learning Trust and The Department of Work and Pensions to train and support over 300 16 – 23 years olds from all London boroughs and help them to progress into employment, further or higher education.

In partnership with World Skills, Cookson Gold and Creative Choices, the Academy taught 1,600 students from across the UK how to make a piece of jewellery in 2011. This led to the Academy engaging with a further 5,000 young people.

We work with the Princes Trust on their ‘Get Started’ programme, through which 25 young people without jobs or qualifications have progressed to one of our qualifications or Apprenticeships.

The British Museum partnered with Holts Academy in 2013 to run a project with our students enabling them to access the museum.

In 2011, we launched our nationwide ‘Have A Go’ programme giving young people aged between 12 and 18 years the chance to make a basic piece of jewellery, whilst explaining the opportunities in the industry. The programme continues to be a success creating awareness of the jewellery industry and its career opportunities and has this year alone taken us to Townley Grammar School, St John Bowers College, Winchmore School, Our Lady’s Convent High School, Leyton Sixth Form College, Charter School, Bridge Academy, London Academy, City of Westminster College, St Marylebone CE and the Cardinal Pole School.

We have held our ‘Have a Go’s’ at the London and Birmingham Skills Fairs in 2012, 2013 and 2014, and at jobs fairs run by Camden, Islington, Hackney, Wandsworth, Westminster and Tower Hamlets councils in partnership with Creative and Cultural Skills – the Sector Skills Council for the Jewellery and Creative Industries – and continue to attend more and more events designed to help young people make career or further education choices.

WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE

Lauren Hannah GomersallAGED 17

Before I started Holts Academy, I was doing my A-levels. I came to Holts to do Jewellery Manufacture Level 2, Jewellery Manufacture Level 3 and Jewellery Manufacture Level 4.

It took me 20 months to complete all 3 courses and I am amazed at how quickly I have learnt. I think that the teaching here is amazing because the skills gained with Holts Academy are unlike anything I would have been able to learn anywhere else.

I managed to gain an internship through Holts Academy working for Maya Magal. This is an amazing experience for me and it will hopefully teach me a lot about how the retail side of the industry works, alongside getting more bench work experience.

I love the vibe at Holts Academy. The students all get on really well, and there is a lot of knowledge to be shared. Everyone has the same goal, which is to keep pushing this Academy forward to become something really amazing, and seeing that team work and drive is something that I really enjoyed being a part of.

Young people are the future of the industry, and passing the jewellery making, design and business skills onto the next generation has always been fundamental to our work at Holts Academy. We have specifically pioneered a suite of ‘beginner‘ level vocational qualifications and programmes of study to provide a meaningful alternative to academic qualifications that enable young people 16 years and above to get into work.

The Government recognises that our vocational qualifications and Apprenticeships can help young people gain employment in the jewellery sector. We work with City and Guilds, the Scottish Qualification Authority, Aim Awards, UAL, North Hertfordshire College and the National Apprenticeship Service to ensure our qualifications and Apprenticeship frameworks meet the highest standards.

We understand that young people on benefits may not have the financial support to study, so we also have a bursary fund to help with the cost of transport, meals and materials. In 2014, we established a ’scholarship fund‘ to which our Award sponsors have contributed, to help particularly promising students with their fees and costs.

More broadly, Holts Academy works with a large number of schools and community groups to inform and inspire young people about the opportunities for them in the jewellery and creative industries.

Backed by a unique and nationwide Apprenticeship Programme, Holts Academy is inspiring a generation to support the industry. We do this at our own expense, not because we need to, but because without this work the myriad possibilities available to young people in the jewellery industry remain hidden.

School students have been thrilled to see what they can make in just a short space of time as Emily, 15 enthuses:

It’s so good how you can put little bits together like that and make a piece of jewellery.

We have recently begun work with youth groups Prince’s Trust, London Citizen and Bigga Fish, who we are partnering in a social media campaign to reach thousands more young people to inform them about the choices the jewellery industry offers.

As the UK’s only provider of government approved Apprenticeships and vocational qualifications in jewellery, it is important to inform the next generation of what their options are.

98

WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS

Holts Academy was founded to ensure that the jewellery industry in the UK continues to thrive through access to a talented pool of skilled employees and new entrants. Over the years we have brought together many different stakeholders in valuable partnerships to help us deliver this objective. Some of our partnership projects are listed in the Working for the Jewellery Industry section of this document and some in the Working with Young People section – here we list even more of the people, organisations and businesses we work with. In total we estimate that we have had direct dealings with an astonishing 15,000 individuals, businesses, organisations, government departments, local authorities, schools, NGOs, charities and industry bodies. Not bad for a small Academy of 35 employees, only 12 of whom are non-teaching.

PARTNERS HELPING US TO HELP THE INDUSTRY

Brown & Newirth have long been loyal supporters of our programmes and are our Headline Awards sponsor and in 2014 we started working with their team to help retailers to access our Professional Retail Development programme. We are proud to be members of the British Jewellers Association, The Company of Master Jewellers, The National Association of Goldsmiths and the Association of Contemporary Jewellers with whom we continue to work closely to help provide industry relevant training.

In 2013 we partnered the Craft Council to design and deliver a unique business diploma qualification for designer makers from all disciplines – the Creative Crafts Enterprise Diploma which helped 23 designer makers learn all the skills needed for establishing a sustainable business as a designer maker.

PARTNERS HELPING US TO HELP STUDENTS TO ACCESS THE INDUSTRY

We have been fortunate and are very grateful that some of the UK’s foremost jewellery designers, manufacturers, retailers and press have spared valuable time to share experiences to inspire our students and young people through our popular ‘Evenings With’ talks and in our prospectus publication ‘Jewellery and Other Stories’. The impressive role call includes: Stephen Webster, Theo Fennell, Nadia Swarovski, Joanna Hardy, Elizabeth Gage, Alex Monroe, Sean Lean, Fiona Toye of Toye & Co, Michael Wainwright of Boodles, Vicki Sarge-Beamon of Erickson Beamon, Bec Astley Clarke MBE of Astley Clarke, Annoushka Ducas MBE of Annoushka Jewellery, Katie Rowland and Gary Wroe of Hockley Mint.

Some of our jewellery industry partners enable our students to work on real projects – F. Hinds, Beaverbrooks and Brown & Newirth for instance have all given our students the chance to create designs to a live brief, the best of which have gone into production. Gemvision UK helps our students to access their CAD software Matrix, and Cooksons Gold helps our students obtain the best materials and tools at a discounted rate.

We have been working with Creative and Cultural Skills since 2011 and helped to populate their website aimed at encouraging young people into the jewellery industry with our images, case studies and stories. Our tutors provide expertise in their ‘Ask the Expert’ section. We sit on their Jewellery Industry Advisory Group and in 2014 we became the Creative and Cultural Skills Jewellery Education Partner and are working on an exciting programme of joint initiatives to encourage more people into the jewellery industry.

PARTNERS HELPING US TO BROADEN JEWELLERY APPRENTICESHIPS

Our Apprenticeship programme goes from strength to strength and in April 2013 we launched our Apprenticeship Programme in Birmingham with partners; Birmingham City Council, Birmingham City University and The Jewellery Quarter Development Trust. We piloted a two week Bootcamp course which led to successfully securing 16 unemployed young people as Apprentices in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter. These learners have now progressed on to an Advanced Apprenticeship in July 2014 and are leading the way for our new intake in the Quarter.

Employers engaged with this programme include the likes of Toye, Kenning and Spencer, Hockley Mint, Thomas Fattorini, A Wardle & Co, Domino, Western Beamor, Gladman and Norman and Charles Green.

In July 2014 we secured additional employers in to the partnership to recruit our new intake of Apprentices; these include JG Jewellery, Wedds & Co, Steward and Mclean and Alpharidge as well as existing employers from the previous year who have found the scheme to be successful and have not only progressed their current Apprentices but have taken on more fresh Apprentices to train from scratch!

We are enormously grateful to all our partners who have worked with us over the years and continue to support us and our students on our mission to provide industry-relevant quality training, qualifications, courses and Apprenticeships that help people access and develop careers in the jewellery industry. Without all our partners our work would not be possible.

Above Annoushka Ducas MBE of Annoushka Jewellery at an ‘Evening With’ event at Holts Academy.

Opposite Bec Astley Clarke MBE of Astley Clarke (pictured on the left) chatting to some of Holts Academy Almuni at a recent ‘Evening With’ event.

1110

AMELIA STONE

I chose Holts Academy as it was the only course offering an industry standard qualification that I was able to complete within a realistic time frame, it meant I could still work and return to study to pave a way for my future career. The fact that Holts is based in Hatton Garden was a huge bonus meaning I could get to grips with other parts of the industry and the way businesses worked.

I had graduated university with a BA in Fine Art and completed some local evening classes in jewellery making for fun which ignited my passion for jewellery making. This encouraged me to look for a more comprehensive qualification which in turn led to me to discover Holts Academy. Their Jewellery Manufacture Level 2 course taught me the techniques I needed to get started.

I have started my own jewellery business so I plan to continue to design, make and sell jewellery.

www.ameliastone.co.uk

ZOE HARDING

I found the level 3 and 4 ICCD Fast Track CAD diplomas at Holts Academy perfect for my needs and I thoroughly enjoyed being back in a learning environment. Jack is a great teacher, who is so obviously passionate about the subject. I know I am not the only one from the class who wishes a level 5 ICCD Fast track course existed so we could all carry on! We are on our own now but have the tools needed to continue learning as we go along.

I work as a freelance designer for various industry clients, designing and developing everything from high end costume jewellery to fine jewellery. I also run my own small label, mainly working to commission and have recently launched an exclusive collection of jewellery commissioned by Holland & Holland, the sporting gunmakers and double Royal Warrant Holders in Mayfair. This years Goldsmiths’ Awards also included a Commendation in the Pearls category and the Gold Award for medal design.

www.zoeharding.com

SARAH HERIOTT2014 winner of the Goldsmiths Company Assay Office Gold Award. Sarah Herriott has a growing jewellery

design business and her work is stocked all over the

world.

The Holts Academy level 4 ICCD course was integral to winning the prize. The ring I won with was one of the design projects on the course. I had been using Rhino for a number of years and hadn’t used Matrix before so it was a big learning curve but I think I got up to speed quite quickly. When one uses software one can get very set in ways of using it and I think it is very important to be taken out of the comfort zone and pushed in other directions. Jack is an amazing teacher, and the course was well structured. It showed me different ways of working, discipline in design and the whole new world of Matrix.

WORKING WITH ADULT LEARNERS

The majority of our learners (81%) are adults, aged 19+. Sometimes we are asked by journalists to describe our typical learner. This is impossible as our learners truly come from a huge array of different ethnicities, abilities, socio-economic backgrounds and ages – our youngest student is 16 and our oldest, 75. What they all share is a passion for creating jewellery and a dream to work in the jewellery industry, either as a designer/maker or in one of the many roles open to skilled employees in the jewellery industry.

Of our adult learners, a large proportion are career-changers from such diverse previous jobs as: soldier, accountant, actor, model, interior designer, blacksmith, artist, architect, farmer, medical professional, teacher, engineer, builder – to name a few. Since 2007 over 400 unemployed adults have come off benefits and secured employment, having learned jewellery skills at the Academy. Many adults also come to us direct from university to learn the technical skills that they actually need to be able to create their own designs or to get a job the jewellery industry. In recent years we have identified this as a growing trend, which has led us to start developing a Degree for Industry in Jewellery which we hope to launch in 2015.

We also train a significant and growing number of people already working in the jewellery sector as part of their continuing professional development, in fact we estimate we have trained 9% of today’s jewellery workforce. Through various outreach projects over the years, our Advanced and Master classes, Consultancy and Professional Retail Development programmes we are able to help jewellery professionals in retail, design and manufacture to upskill in the latest CAD CAM technology, advanced jewellery manufacture and gemmology, and in sales, marketing, IT and business skills.

DANIELLE RIES

I have taken 3 courses at Holts Academy: stone setting, CAD and the Enterprise business course. I chose Holts Academy because of its reputation in the industry for quality teachers and teaching. Prior to jewellery, I worked in education for many years as a teacher and adviser. I am now designing and making jewellery! I’ve also set up an online shop and am working on developing my social networking skills, all as a result of the Holts business course. I also won a Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council award (Commended) for 3D CAD presentation in February 2014 with a design developed on my level 3 ICCD course at Holts Academy ... so thank you Jack!

www.dannyries.com

ZOE CURWEN

Before coming to Holts I worked part time around my family practicing Holistic Therapies, Reflexology, Reiki and NLP. As soon as I started at Holts I felt at home as learning Jewellery was my dream. Holts has given me the confidence and knowledge to realise my potential through its structured courses. Being based in the heart of Hatton Garden there are lots of contacts, jewellery professionals and teachers within the industry at your fingertips, all the help and advice you could need is right here!

Initially I was concerned I may be the oldest student in the class but this wasn’t the case as the group was a complete mixture of ages, genders and backgrounds. Straight away I felt relaxed and realised I wasn’t the only one who was mad about Jewellery.

1312

In 2011 Holts Academy launched the first jewellery Apprenticeship Programme in over a generation. Young people are now able to learn jewellery craftsmanship skills on the job whilst at the same time studying the Jewellery Manufacture Diploma qualifications that Holts Academy spearheaded. Apprentices can go on to further levels and Holts Academy offers Levels 1 to Level 4 Apprenticeships Frameworks.

The Government endorsed Holts Academy Apprenticeship programme has enabled almost 200 young people to access meaningful Apprenticeships within the jewellery industry. The Academy has engaged with over 80 companies who have recruited at least one apprentice. More than 90% of these employers retained their apprentice and supported them progressing on to advanced Apprenticeships or into full time jobs.

In 2013 we partnered with North Hertfordshire College as well as University of the Arts London and also became a City and Guilds Approved

APPRENTICESHIPS DAvID GRANTAged 21, Apprentice with Gladman & Norman,

Birmingham Jewellery Quarter

I chose Holts Academy because not only did they give me a chance to find out more about pursuing a career in jewellery but they also helped me brush up on basic skills and knowledge that helped me when going for interviews for companies.

I have found the whole package very helpful and it has given me the motivation to push myself harder to learn more about each technique within each area of the industry as well as improving on my own skills that have only appeared since starting the Apprenticeship.

Being able to work in this industry is amazing but being able to study jewellery whilst holding down a full-time job truly is a dream come true.

I am happy to say I have found my dream job and a job that I am happy with every day no matter what the weather or what time I have to be up because it is worth it. After my 2 year Apprenticeship I plan to aim for higher qualifications so that even more doors will open for me. I want to push myself harder to learn and improve my own skills so that someday I might be able to give someone else the chance that could change their life as much as this has changed mine.

PAIGE BALMANAge: 20. Jewellery Retail Apprentice with

The Beverly Hills Group, Hatton Garden.

The reason for applying to Holts Academy was because I had an interest in fashion and jewellery and there are not many opportunities to study within the jewellery industry. It was interesting to read what the Apprenticeship had to offer on the website as I had no previous experience in the jewellery industry. I wanted a career which I could learn correctly and from the best companies in the best locations.

The thing I really love and enjoy most about working in my placement is when a customer has no idea of what they want nor any knowledge about diamonds and settings, and they leave either loving a ring or at least with some knowledge of diamonds and what is best for them and their budget.

I would be happy to continue to work for Beverly Hills company and gain more knowledge through them as I have learnt a lot in a short amount of time.

Centre which allows Holts Academy to widen the Apprenticeship offer to include new work areas – Business Apprenticeships, Retail Apprenticeships and IT Apprenticeships.

In 2013 Holts Academy set up its satellite Apprenticeship Programme in Birmingham in partnership with various employers in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham City Council, The Jewellery Quarter Trust and Birmingham City University – we celebrated the achievements of this first tranche of 15 Apprentices in May 2014 and the Birmingham Jewellery Apprentice Programme continues to grow with new employers and apprentices coming on board.

Holts Academy brokers the apprenticeship role with the employer and takes care of all the administration including screening applicants. To further enhance the offer to employer in 2013 we launched our Pre-Apprenticeship Programme – ‘Apprentice Boot Camp’. Designed to give young people the employability skills necessary to secure the job,

over the course of four boot camps almost 70% of those completing the programme went on to an Apprenticeship. Apprenticeship Boot Camp continues to make a significant contribution towards alleviating youth unemployment and positively impacts the lives of the young people embarking on their first jobs.

Holts Academy’s Apprenticeship Programme in Jewellery Manufacture remains the only Government recognised jewellery specific Apprenticeship Programme in the country and we look forward to continuing to launch initiatives to attract more young people into the industry across other UK jewellery centres such as Brighton and Sheffield in the future.

Below Birmingham Apprentices graduating in 2014.

Opposite Gary Wroe, CEO of Hockley Mint (Pictured back row, centre), supporters of the Holts Academy Apprenticeship programme with two of his apprentices.

1514

Holts Academy create the first Apprenticeships in jewellery manufacture (beginner level) for a generation. 50 apprentices commence employment.

199

9

Hatton Garden Gem School is born. The initial set up was 6 lapidary wheels and 6 jewellery benches in the sub-basement of Holts Gems. 70 people trained by Holts’ full-time craftsmen in the art of gem cutting and design. All in Holts workshops in Hatton Garden. Headed by Roger Dunkin and supported by Holts lapidaries Claire Westenhofer, Jan Hughye and Emma Barnes.

Over the next few years the Hatton Garden GEM School continues to develop additional training for jewellers according to the needs of the industry.

TIMELINE

Sleepless in Tucson Jason Holt writes a government bid for the first iteration of Holts Academy.

A report from the Department for Trade and Industry paints a bleak picture of the jewellery industry; craftsmen are a dying breed with a lack of new entrants.

20

06

Holts School of Jewellery deliver a London Development Agency project helping 300 women get careers in jewellery industry over 3 years in partnership with Newham College.

Holts School of Jewellery work with Birmingham School of Jewellery and London Metropolitan University to deliver a City Fringe Partnership Technology project which will go on to support 1,000 businesses embrace new technology over 3 years.

Holts School of Jewellery work with Aldyth Crowther and Palmer Hamilton Partnership to deliver a City Fringe Partnership project to help mid career jewellers which went on to support 500 businesses evolve over 3 years.

Staff employed: 3.

Holts School of Jewellery becomes Holts Academy of Jewellery, and flies the nest becoming a separate not for profit legal entity.

The Academy hires it’s first Principal. Lee Lucas joins!

Holts Academy open its first dedicated site at Langdales, Hatton Garden, with two jewellery workshops and a CAD suite with 8 student seats.

Holts Academy of Jewellery Launch the ERDF Sonar Project with Newham College, starting the first ever jewellery CAD training centre for all major jewellery CAD software packages. The first site for CAD training was in Bethnal Green.

Holts Academy launches its rebranding.

Change Act Share works in the same office, providing support to jewellery SMEs.

Staff employed: 5.

Holts Academy work with Newham College to deliver the Ethical Jewellery project which will go on to support 200 businesses embrace ethical jewellery practices.

Holts Academy work with Change Act Share and Camden Council to deliver the Jewellery Connections project, helping to connect designers and makers which sees almost 100 businesses develop new products and new partnerships.

Staff employed at academy: 8.

Holts Academy partner with UAL for FE delivery and funding.

Holts Academy work with Creative and Cultural Skills to develop new suite of Jewellery Manufacture Diplomas at beginner and intermediate level. 48 students.

Holts Academy expand campus to include Petersham House, adding 50 jewellery benches and a CAD suite for 16 students.

Holts Academy expand Jewellery Manufacture Diploma offer to include advance level.

Holts Academy create first Jewellery CAD Diploma, Design for Jewellery Production (DJP) with 32 students. Each course features a live project to design a collection for a high street jewellery business. The first partner for the project was F. Hinds, followed by Brown & Newirth.

Holts Academy become AIM Awards approved centre.

Holts Academy first participate in Skills London – the largest vocational career event in UK working with Cooksons. Over 4,000 young people have a go at making jewellery during the event.

Staff employed at Academy: 25.

Holts Academy expands Apprenticeship Programme to intermediate level and continue diplomas.

Holts Academy becomes a City & Guilds Approved centre.

Holts Academy recognised on government approved UK register of Further Education colleges.

Holts Academy first work with The Prince’s Trust to deliver a vocational Taster in Jewellery.

Holts Academy pioneer new programmes of study. 700 students.

Staff employed at Academy: 35.

Holts Academy partner with North Herts College for Apprenticeship funding.

Holts Academy expand campus to include Farringdon Road site, adding 100 classroom spaces.

Holts Academy partner with Birmingham City University to offer Apprenticeship place of learning in Birmingham, 15 Apprentices commence employment.

Launch of Professional Retail Development course. TK MAxx partnership secured which will see the Academy train 2,500 staff.

Launch of Beautiful Boxes fundraising project with Coutts.

Staff employed at Academy: 30.

Holts Academy of Jewellery rebrands to become Holts Academy to widen it’s reach.

Holts Academy pioneers HNC and HND in jewellery and continues to expand.

Expansion of Birmingham Apprenticeship scheme, offering intermediate Apprenticeships with 12 new apprentices commencing employment.

Holts Academy partner Brown & Newirth to help retailers access Professional Retail development training.

Holts Academy named Trailblazer for New Craft Apprenticeship standards.

Optimity, a highly regarded apprentice employer in the Technology Sector and Holts Academy set to deliver an Employer Ownership of Skills pilot for the UK Commission for Employment over 3 years.

Holts Academy become the official Jewellery education partners with Creative and Cultural Skills.

Staff employed at Academy set to be: 45.

Holts Academy to offer BA (Hon) Degree and higher Apprenticeships.

20

07

20

09

20

11

20

10

20

12

20

13

20

14

20

15

20

02

Hatton Garden Gem School becomes London Gemstone Cutting & Jewellery School.

London Gemstone Cutting & Jewellery School becomes Holts School of Jewellery.

20

03

Holts Academy become accredited with SQA to offer qualifications.

Holts Academy writes and launches first ever NVQs in jewellery manufacture with 16 students.

Holts Academy extends Langdales floor space to include professional workshops at below market rate to micro businesses.

Staff employed at Academy: 14.

Student Enrolments 60 students in 1999 STUDENT ENROLMENTS

Student Enrolments 178 students in 2011

Student Enrolments 370 students in 2013

Student Enrolments 780 students in 2014

16

HOLTS ACADEMY THE FUTURE

By Jason Holt

There is no shortage of ambition in the Academy. For 15 years we have pioneered ways to address the skills gaps in our industry and ensure the UK jewellery sector maintains its place in the global market.

By listening to voices at every level; from businesses and learners, commercial partners and educators, we have refined our shared work vision for the future.

We aim to be a world-renowned University of Technical Skills, improving the lives of individuals and the businesses they work in.

A little bold perhaps but also the very essence of the ambition that has seen the Academy grow to become the only Government accredited training provider of Apprenticeships and vocational qualifications for the UK Jewellery sector. This gives us huge responsibility.

To continue this success we will focus (in particular) on three aspects to take us forward:

1. QUALITY

We want to be an outstanding institution; the quality of what we do exceptional; our delivery and qualifications world class. In short everything we do will continue to have the learner and employer at its core. We already do it well. We wish to do it brilliantly.

2. PROGRESSION

Ensuring we cater for all levels of learners at any step in their career, from complete novices to degree level learners and beyond; to those already working in the industry.

Today more than ever, learners are likely to have a number of careers in the course of a lifetime. Education doesn’t stop at the end of the course. We need to make sure that what we provide as educators prepares them for a successful career. To do this we must ensure we provide for:

Young people fresh out of school. We will be launching Traineeships in Autumn 2014, to bridge the divide between school and the world of work. Too many times we hear that young people aren’t adequately prepared. We will address this gap so that a young person who chooses not to go to university has another option available to them through traineeships and ultimately an Apprenticeship job.

For those seeking higher qualifications – we will start offering university degree qualifications from 2015, providing a formal qualification for those who aspire to achieving excellence through a vocational route, with practical application throughout the process of learning, something long desired by industry and learners alike.

3. CREATIVE AND DIGITAL

Although our roots are in jewellery, what we have now is an excellent model which we can apply to other sectors. So we are expanding, and from Autumn 2014 we’ll be delivering to the technology sectors including IT, coding and programming.

We have recently chaired the Government’s Craft Trailblazer initiative and we intend to apply our model across the UK’s craft sector to support the growth of this uniquely creative and entrepreneurial industry. Education is evolving to meet the needs of industry and we intend that the Academy remains at the forefront of this change. We’re paving the way.

De

sig

n w

ww

.bro

ad-b

ase

.co

.uk

18

QUALIFICATIONS | COURSES | CAREERS | APPRENTICESHIPS | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Holts Academy, Kamen House, 62–66 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GB

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7405 0197 Email: info@holtsacademy.com

www.holtsacademy.com