GIA Holds First-Ever Career Fair in India

GIA India Managing Director Nirupa Bhatt

(IDEX Online News) - The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) held its first-ever career fair in India today (Monday). Some 300 hopefuls registered to interact with 54 firms, ranging from diamond manufacturers through jewelry manufacturers and retail outlets, who were looking to recruit new talent. The initiative was co-sponsored by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).

The career fair, which brings together the gem and jewelry industry with young talent that is looking to make a career in the field, has been a successful GIA initiative in the U.S. for some 20 years. With a large number of its own graduates who have specialized in gemology, diamond grading, jewelry design, manufacture and management taking part, career fairs have been instrumental in injecting much-needed professional talent into an otherwise largely conservative industry.

In India, said panelist Vinod Hayagriv, chairman of the All-India Gems & Jeweler Trade Federation (GJF), the rapidly growing domestic market and thriving export industry had an urgent need for 10,000 new recruits every year for the next 10 years at least. “Along with the growth,” he noted, “there are a large number of continuing retirements and the gap in talent is actually impeding growth.”

GJEPC Vice Chairman Sanjay Kothari made much the same point, observing that apart from the two years of the global recession, the jewelry industry in India has recorded a steady 15 percent growth over the past several decades. It looked to continue growing for the near future.

Nirupa Bhatt, GIA managing director for India and the Middle East, said that this initial career fair was in response to a strong industry demand for just such an initiative. She told IDEX Online that interestingly, the majority of registered job seekers were not GIA graduates, but people from all over the country who had responded to advertisements about the fair.