Ask your local jeweler for the name of the premier source of gemological education, grading services, research, and instrument development – and odds are he’ll tell you it’s GIA.

See GIA's new booth at an industry trade show near you.

In fact, GIA quite literally leaves no rock unturned in making its gemological expertise easily accessible. If it’s not from one of the Institute’s 13 worldwide locations, then it may be from Extension classes and seminars in your own home town. And for the ultimate in convenience, bear in mind that GIA’s Distance Education course materials can be delivered directly to your home or office.

And don’t forget about GIA’s frequent participation in industry trade shows, local guest lectures and educational forums, Alumni Association events, and publications. With all of this at your fingertips it’s easy to become a part of the Institute’s exciting worldwide network.

Worldwide Locations
GIA is known for providing the most progressive and thorough gemological education available anywhere; that’s probably why more than 300,000 students have completed GIA courses worldwide. If you’re unable to visit the Institute’s headquarters in Carlsbad, California, there are 12 other locations from which to choose. GIA has branches in New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Beijing, Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok, Vicenza, Moscow, and London.

“Over the years, I have seen the Institute grow in size, stature, and importance,” said GIA President William E. Boyajian. “With schools on three continents in nine countries, we’re considered educators to the world’s professionals.”

Trade Shows and Events
Another way GIA consistently reaches out is through trade shows and events. GIA participates in some 30 trade shows annually, giving you the perfect opportunity to connect with GIA or others in the industry. GIA’s participation is worldwide, and includes the JCK show in Las Vegas; AGTA show in Tucson, Arizona; AGS Conclave in Austin, Texas; Basel show in Switzerland; International Jewellery show in Dubai; JA show in New York City; and many others. For a complete listing of trade shows involving GIA click here.

In addition, GIA routinely sponsors or participates in numerous industry events. Just one example is GIA’s Jewelry Career Fair – the largest recruiting event for the gem and jewelry industry – which is held annually in both New York and Carlsbad. The event features some of the jewelry industry’s top leaders and award-winning experts, and includes recruiting by the industry’s leading firms, as well as panel discussions and one-on-one workshops. These are scheduled well in advance, so if you’re looking for employment in the industry, you always have plenty of time to make plans to attend the Career Fair closest to you.

“Career Fair has become the industry’s most successful recruitment and career opportunity event,” said Kathryn Kimmel, GIA’s vice-president of marketing and public relations, and creator of GIA’s Jewelry Career Fair. “It has been remarkable to watch literally hundreds of job seekers launch their careers over the years, and to see many of them return to Career Fair as recruiters and speakers is an especially rewarding element.”

Distance Education
For some, one of the easiest ways to become part of GIA is through its Distance Education courses – which you can have conveniently delivered directly to your home or office. And by using GIA’s Virtual Campus, you can submit assignments, receive feedback instantly, and monitor your progress all online with just a few computer keystrokes. As a result, you earn professional credibility and confidence without disrupting your life.

“With Distance Education, you’re in total control of when, where, and how you study,” said GIA Vice President of Education Brook Ellis.

There are many courses to choose from, including Jewelry Essentials, Colored Stone Essentials, Diamond Essentials, Diamonds & Diamond Grading, Pearls, and more. For more information on GIA’s Distance Education courses, click here.

Extension Classes
If you live in the U.S. or Canada, you can become part of GIA through the Institute’s Extension classrooms, which give you the opportunity to develop the practical hands-on skills of a true gem and jewelry professional. You work with actual diamonds and gemstones, use the latest equipment, and benefit from individualized attention by having a fully qualified GIA instructor on-site.

In as little as three hours – and in no more than five days or 10 nights – you can acquire skills that help increase your earnings and confidence. Classes in gemology, grading, and jewelry manufacturing are available. In addition, GIA Student Labs (a professionally equipped gemology lab for self-study and proctored exams) accompany our traveling Extension classes in various cities around the country.

GIA further reaches out to you by offering Extension classes in conjunction with jewelry trade associations and organizations around the United States and Canada. Click here for the 2003 Extension schedule.

GIA’s Publications
You can have access to news about GIA and its world-renowned gemological knowledge via three publications:  Gems & Gemology, GIA Insider, and The Loupe: GIA World News.

Gems & Gemology, GIA’s award-winning quarterly scientific journal publishes up-to-date technical information about diamonds and colored stones – where they are found, their special characteristics, simulants and synthetics, treatments, and identification techniques. The GIA Insider is a bi-weekly electronic bulletin that keeps subscribers apprised of Institute news and important industry issues in a timely manner. The Loupe, with more than 80,000 readers, provides feature news, interviews and photo essays about the people, places and events that shape, and are shaped by, the Institute.

“These publications provide a convenient way for our constituents to keep in touch with the Institute, and for GIA to continually reach out to our constituents and keep them informed,” said Boyajian.

Alumni Association Events
Yet another way you can be part of GIA is through its more than 30 Alumni chapters worldwide. These chapters provide educational seminars, workshops, field trips, and meetings – as well as camaraderie, networking and affiliation to their members. And whether or not you are a GIA graduate, you are welcome to attend many of the special events hosted by GIA’s Alumni Association at trade shows, GIA locations, and other community locations. To find the chapter closest to you, search our Chapter Directory online.

“Our members look to the Alumni organization for continuing education and career enhancement,” said Director of the GIA Alumni Association Patrick B. Ball. “And that’s precisely what we provide.”

GIA’s Alumni Association provides an excellent avenue for your professional growth and advancement by bringing together gem and jewelry professionals and students. It also can help you maintain lifelong learning, as well as personal and professional relationships among industry colleagues that ultimately benefit the gem and jewelry trade.

GIA – Always Nearby
The gemological education and news you’re seeking is within your reach, as GIA is continually reaching and expanding across the globe with its campuses, branches, programs, classes, courses, presentations, events, publications, alumni, and more.

So remember: Whether you’re just around the corner or around the world, you can be sure GIA – in one form or another – is always within your reach.