Save the Date: GIA Carlsbad Jewelry Career Fair is Oct. 21

Opening panelists announced; recruiter registration open

CARLSBAD, Calif. – Aug. 8, 2011 – The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) Jewelry Career Fair and Open House will be held at the Institute’s Carlsbad world headquarters on Oct. 21. The gem and jewelry industry’s eminent recruiting event will include panel discussions, career coaching, on-site recruiting, classroom workshops and exhibits.

The opening panel session, “Job Success in Today’s Market,” will feature leading industry executives who will offer advice on how to create a successful career path. The panelists include: Matthew A. Runci, president and CEO, Jewelers of America; Cathryn Ramirez, group director, Tiffany & Co.; Au-Co Mai, president and CEO, Emitations.com; Richard Drucker, president, Gemworld International; and Sara Beth Brown, recent GIA graduate and sales associate, Breitling Boutique.

Donna Baker, GIA president and CEO, will moderate.

“Offering this forum for industry leaders to share their insights, knowledge and resources with those looking to enter the gem and jewelry industry or enhance themselves professionally, is extremely important to GIA,” said Kathryn Kimmel, vice president, chief marketing officer and co-founder of GIA Career Fair. “We have a lot of success stories that began with Career Fair and we’re looking forward to getting some new ones started.”

Additional sessions will include “From Design to Finish” and “Creative Careers,” and one-on-one career coaching will be available. Attendees can also participate in classroom workshops and view gem and jewelry exhibits throughout the day.

GIA Career Fair and Open House is on Oct. 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Carlsbad.

Employers who would like to recruit at this year’s Career Fair can sign up with the online registration form, contact GIA’s Career Services office at (800) 421-7250, ext. 4093, or email kimberly.northup@gia.edu.

Job seekers can call GIA’s Jewelry Career Fair hotline at (800) 421-7250, ext. 4100, or email careerfair@gia.edu. For more information, visit www.careerfair.gia.edu.

GIA’s Jewelry Career Fair, in its 20th year, was founded by GIA and the Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California, who is also a sponsor.