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MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program Certifies First Advanced Apprentice Graduate
The graduate, Grace Barden, credited the program with helping her secure a job as a bench jeweler.
Grace Barden is the first Advanced Apprentice Graduate of the MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program.
New York—The MJSA Education Foundation has certified Grace Barden as the first Advanced Apprentice Graduate of the MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program.
Barden apprenticed at Jost Jewelers in West Allis, Wisconsin, while also pursuing her BFA in jewelry and metalsmithing from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
She graduated in May and now works as a bench jeweler at Heidi Lowe Gallery in Lewes, Delaware.
"The [MJSA] program is mapped out well; it gave me the ability to pinpoint what I needed help with," she said. "I feel like I've gained a lot in my professional and technical development, and a lot of confidence in my own work."
The program, which launched in 2023, is designed to help professional jewelers bring on and train bench workers.
It includes a 50-week curriculum with more than 200 online videos and resources covering core bench skills, casting, and CAD/CAM, among other areas.
It is recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor as a Registered Apprenticeship Program, which makes participants eligible for potential state and federal funding through available grants, tax credits, and tuition support.
To become certified, each apprentice must complete 18 specified projects, ranging from pierced earrings to stone-set rings to 3D printed models.
"The projects hit a lot of fundamental techniques that every bench jeweler should know,” Barden said.
"It was really helpful to start out with projects that are more simple, like the pierced earrings, and then work my way up and see how the skills can transform and develop. I found the program really straightforward, with clear goals—someone who's never worked with metals before could come in off the street, follow [the curriculum], and learn so many things."
Barden credited the program with helping her secure her job, which was originally supposed to be a three-month internship.
"I mentioned I was doing this program [and] explained everything I was learning,” she said.
“I was hired on as a bench jeweler rather than an intern, just because I came in with more skills and [a certification] that says I have those skills."
To learn more about the MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program and receiving a free training kit, contact MJSA Foundation Executive Director Rich Youmans at 1-800-223-0673, ext. 8073, or at rich.youmans@mjsa.org.
To learn more about MJSA and the MJSA Education Foundation, go to MJSA.org.
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Barden apprenticed at Jost Jewelers in West Allis, Wisconsin, while also pursuing her BFA in jewelry and metalsmithing from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
She graduated in May and now works as a bench jeweler at Heidi Lowe Gallery in Lewes, Delaware.
"The [MJSA] program is mapped out well; it gave me the ability to pinpoint what I needed help with," she said. "I feel like I've gained a lot in my professional and technical development, and a lot of confidence in my own work."
The program, which launched in 2023, is designed to help professional jewelers bring on and train bench workers.
It includes a 50-week curriculum with more than 200 online videos and resources covering core bench skills, casting, and CAD/CAM, among other areas.
It is recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor as a Registered Apprenticeship Program, which makes participants eligible for potential state and federal funding through available grants, tax credits, and tuition support.
To become certified, each apprentice must complete 18 specified projects, ranging from pierced earrings to stone-set rings to 3D printed models.
"The projects hit a lot of fundamental techniques that every bench jeweler should know,” Barden said.
"It was really helpful to start out with projects that are more simple, like the pierced earrings, and then work my way up and see how the skills can transform and develop. I found the program really straightforward, with clear goals—someone who's never worked with metals before could come in off the street, follow [the curriculum], and learn so many things."
Barden credited the program with helping her secure her job, which was originally supposed to be a three-month internship.
"I mentioned I was doing this program [and] explained everything I was learning,” she said.
“I was hired on as a bench jeweler rather than an intern, just because I came in with more skills and [a certification] that says I have those skills."
To learn more about the MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program and receiving a free training kit, contact MJSA Foundation Executive Director Rich Youmans at 1-800-223-0673, ext. 8073, or at rich.youmans@mjsa.org.
To learn more about MJSA and the MJSA Education Foundation, go to MJSA.org.
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