Most commonly reported Work Activities

•   Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
•   Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
•   Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
•   Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information Estimating sises, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
•   Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
•   Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
•   Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
•   Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
•   Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
•   Controlling Machines and Processes Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Working Life

Jewellers design and manufacture a wide variety of jewellery, silverware and cutlery products. They work with metals such as gold, silver and platinum and with precious stones such as diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Craft jewellers also work with materials such as paper, wood, bone, ceramics and plastics. 
 
Most jewellers are self-employed. They work to commission, exhibit in galleries, and at retail trade fairs. They also design ranges of jewellery for production, work as curators, design consultants, lecturers and educators.

Jewellery designers typically begin their careers in industry, designing products for the mass market. They may look at the products their company already make and see how they can change them to suit new styles and trends. They may also be asked to design and develop new products. This usually involves the following:  

• Looking at products made by their own and competitors' companies

• Finding out if there are any new ways to make things, or new materials to make them with
• Thinking about what kind of people are likely to buy the products

Jewellery designers may do this research themselves or with the help of marketing managers. They then prepare detailed drawings.  

Manufacturing jewellers work from these drawings to make the final products. Different companies use different methods of production. Some combine traditional and 'high-tech' methods. Others may use machines for all steps in the production process.

Training can be with an existing jeweller or a relevant Craft Design course.

Most 3rd level courses or apprenticeships are three to four years. If you want to specialise as a gold or silversmith additional training and experience is required.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Position stones and metal pieces, and set, mount, and secure items in place, using setting and hand tools.
• Smooth soldered joints and rough spots, using hand files and emery paper, and polish smoothed areas with polishing wheels or buffing wire.
• Create jewelry from materials such as gold, silver, platinum, and precious or semiprecious stones.
• Make repairs, such as enlarging or reducing ring sises, soldering pieces of jewelry together, and replacing broken clasps and mountings.
• Clean and polish metal items and jewelry pieces, using jewelers' tools, polishing wheels, and chemical baths.
• Cut and file pieces of jewelry such as rings, brooches, bracelets, and lockets.
• Select and acquire metals and gems for designs.
• Compute costs of labor and materials in order to determine production costs of products and articles.
• Examine assembled or finished products to ensure conformance to specifications, using magnifying glasses or precision measuring instruments.
• Pierce and cut open designs in ornamentation, using hand drills and scroll saws.

Further Information

• Jewellery Designer- from: How to Become a Jewelry Designer, The Art Career Project
• Jewellery Designer-Maker- from: Jewellery designer-maker - N.C.S. [UK]
• Retail Jeweller- from: Retail jeweller - N.C.S. [UK]

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

 Realist

Realists are usually interested in 'things' - such as buildings, mechanics, equipment, tools, electronics etc. Their primary focus is dealing with these - as in building, fixing, operating or designing them. Involvement in these areas leads to high manual skills, or a fine aptitude for practical design - as found in the various forms of engineering.

Realists like to find practical solutions to problems using tools, technology and skilled work. Realists usually prefer to be active in their work environment, often do most of their work alone, and enjoy taking decisive action with a minimum amount of discussion and paperwork.

 Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

 Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

If you want to specialise as a gold or silversmith, additional training and experience is required.

A young person can train with either a commercial manufacturing jeweler or a craft jeweler. The manufacturing jewelers train him or her along the lines their business requires. The craft side of the business is now the more developed.  
 
In either case the fully qualified jewelers of the firm or workshop train the trainee jeweler. Ideally, training may progress through working with gold, with silver and with gems, according to the firm to which the person is apprenticed - specialisation may follow later.

Sample Education and Training Pathways
A number of courses are available throughout the country that focus on learning and skills that may be useful for this career. The examples and links below may guide you in your research. 

Further Education (FET)
Further Education & Training (FET) Courses are delivered by local ETBs, ranging in duration from several weeks up to 20 months. Courses are designed to meet the labour market needs and often include a large element of work experience.

Example search terms include: precision, computer controlled engineering and manufacture, quality management,  engineering, OEM, manufacturing, machine tool operations.

Search for FET Courses

PLC Courses (FET)
PLC courses are full-time courses, one or two years duration, with awards at Level 5 and 6 on the NFQ. They are offered nationally in Schools and Colleges of Further Education.

Example search terms include: business management, sales, marketing, jewellery, art metal craft, jewellery making and design, silversmithing, jewellery, design.

Search for PLC Courses

Apprenticeships: 
Apprenticeships are structured work-based training programs that combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction. They run from 2 – 4 years and are open to individuals of all ages, including school leavers, those seeking a career change, and existing employees who wish to upskill.

Examples: Metal Fabrication.

Search for Apprenticeships

Higher Education CAO (Undergraduate) 
Higher Education courses at Levels 6 to 8 on the NFQ, delivered in Universities and Technological Universities & Institutes. Courses run from 2 – 5 years and places are allocated on a points-based system, processed by the Central Application Office.

Example search terms include: textile surface design, jewellery, objects, product, design.

Search for CAO Courses

Higher Education (Postgraduate)
Postgraduate courses are courses at Levels 9 and 10 on the NFQ and usually last 1 – 2 years full time, or longer if a PhD or part time. Entrants typically require an undergraduate award (Level 8).

Example search terms include: sales, business, management, marketing.

Search for Postgraduate Courses

Design & Crafts Council of Ireland: For those wishing to pursue a career in this field of work, there are a number of relevant courses on offer.

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €17k - €55k

Salaries in this occupation can vary greatly, from those who sell their creations independently, often in combination with a second job, to those who earn stable salaries working for manufacturers or craft workshops.

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
Payscale/ Glassdoor/ Indeed / Prosperity

Last Updated: March, 2024

Note: The following information relates to occupations that include: Weavers and knitters; Upholsterers; Footwear and leather working trades; Tailors and dressmakers Textiles; garments and related trades n.e.c.; Pre-press technicians; Printers Print finishing and binding workers; Glass and ceramics makers; decorators and finishers Furniture makers and other craft woodworkers; Florists Other skilled trades n.e.c.

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

The five-year annual average employment growth rate was below average for this occupation, although there was an increase of over 2,000 persons employed between 2021 and 2022. As the Census data indicates, there are a large number of roles within this group, with many employing fewer than 1,000 persons. Between 2016 and 2022, employment levels fell for many of these roles.

Despite the decline in employment evident in the Census data, the Skills for Growth data indicates issues with recruitment of upholsterers for both the industry and retail (repair) sectors; upholsterers also appeared in the DSP Jobs Ireland vacancy data (albeit in small numbers), along with spray painters (included in the other skilled trades n.e.c. category). Although demand for many of these trades have declined in recent years, an increased focus on the circular economy may see increased demand, or at least slow the decline for roles such as upholsterers and tailors.

• Design & Craft Council of Ireland

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