(IDEX Online News) – Antwerp's diamond polishers are aging, and new blood is needed. So much so, that the local diamond industry is offering free polishing courses.

Demand for experienced diamond polishers is increasing. The Antwerp World Diamond Centre estimates that over the next two years, there will be 55 job openings.

Addressing this shortcoming, the Antwerp diamond industry is organizing a free course in diamond polishing, to be held in September. The course will cover the basic polishing skills.

Several local diamond companies support the project. Each company will take under its wind one of the students and closely follow their development. The companies also commit to hiring their apprentices after the course concludes.

"This course stems from the ‘Antwerp Diamond Masterplan – Project 2020’ and is an initiative from HRD Antwerp, fonds voor Diamantnijverheid [Diamond Industry Fund] and AWDC," said Ari Epstein, CEO AWDC.