- Industry - Education/Non-Profit
- Type of Business - B2B/B2C
Gem-A is the world’s oldest provider of gem and jewellery education. Established in 1908, the courses are now taught in 5 languages and 17 countries via online learning and in-house teaching centres.
The British institution was lagging behind its American counterpart which had successfully created a link between their own qualifications and a glamorous life as a career gemmologist. Perceptions of the British institution were revealed through market research and graduate surveys and although there was a high level of academic prowess, and a deep-rooted history in science, the British institution was seen as a less exciting cousin.
The challenge was to change the perception that gemmological study with Gem-A was not just for hobbyists, retailers or appraisers, but instead could be the gateway to a surprising future career.
Extensive market research revealed the breadth and depth of alumni who found gemmology vital to their careers. We took inspiration from a diagram originally created by the Naturalis Biodiversity Center. With permission, we evolved the concept and created the gemmology career wheel.
The career wheel charted the areas that our alumni had moved into. It was developed further with interviews from alumni that were shared on the company website and across social media before culminating in a “Careers Edition” of the trade magazine, Gems & Jewellery. The magazine was distributed globally at industry conferences and trade shows throughout the year. Work on this project continued to advance taking other formats such as encouraging visiting speakers to share their inspirational career stories to audiences that included current members, students, graduates and prospective students.
The cascade effect of the broadened appeal brought wider exposure and new opportunities for the British institution in other fields such as the introduction of a specialist jobs board, invitations for research and cross-training. The most important change was within the organisation, where there was a structural shift across all departments.
