(PRESS RELEASE)NEW YORK — The International Gemological Institute (IGI), the world’s largest independent gemological laboratory, debut a brand new interactive online educational series “IGI eLearning Courses” featuring lessons designed to educate people selling jewelry and those that want to learn more about diamonds, gems and jewelry.

The on-demand online courses provide fundamental gemological education while emphasizing key information buyers are most interested in. Each course takes less than 45 minutes to complete with questions asked along the way and ending with a 12-question quiz. The course is passed with a quiz score of 80% or better and the student will receive a PDF summary. Once all the courses are passed, the learner will receive an IGI Certificate of Completion.

“These new eLearning courses are delivered differently than other online education. Users answer questions along the way, verifying the material is understood. Interactive courses have 80% higher engagement than traditional online learning, keeping users interested with points they can use with clients in-store right away,” says John Pollard, Senior Director of Education for IGI. “Our industry is evolving rapidly. These courses emphasize the talking points which are useful immediately, whether you’re a seasoned professional or completely new to diamonds.”

The eLearning Courses currently available:

• Diamond 4Cs: Carat
• Diamond 4Cs: Color
• Diamond 4Cs: Clarity
• Diamond 4Cs: Cut
• The Natural Diamond Story
• Lab Grown Diamonds

Individual courses start at $50 and packages of six courses for $250 – other course packages are also available. Companies can also work with IGI to develop customized sales courses for their internal operations.

In June 2022, IGI will be launching a free, consumer-focused course called “How to Buy a Diamond” created to educate the public on the basics of purchasing diamonds. Additional courses on gemstones and jewelry will be added in the future.

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“In the U.S. market, we launched webinar-based education in 2020, as IGI was receiving requests from leading luxury brands as well as small businesses that wanted to keep their teams engaged and educated through distance learning. The webinar education evolved into IGI creating customized and specialized courses for businesses and their sales professionals in all sectors of the industry. As the interest and demand grew, IGI saw an opportunity and need to develop a series of highly relevant and relatable eLearning Courses designed with jewelry professionals and consumers in mind,” notes Avi Levy, President of IGI North America.

“We know the diamond and jewelry industry can be very confusing to navigate. Our goal is to deliver precise and current information which is also affordable and accessible to everyone from seasoned to entry-level trade professionals to enthusiasts that want to learn more,” continues Levy.

In addition to the interactive eLearning Courses, IGI’s educational offerings and diploma programs are currently taught at 14 schools of gemology around the world, including a wide array of gemstone grading and jewelry design courses, instructional seminars and webinars.

“As an institution, IGI is dedicated to education and constantly collaborating with our worldwide laboratories and teams to deepen our knowledge and understanding of what’s happening in the market,” states Roland Lorie, IGI CEO. “A pillar focus for IGI is providing current and practical gemological education for any that choose to enter the industry. We aim to arm jewelry professionals with the latest most relevant information to best serve their clients, as well as consumers seeking reliable, accurate and trusted information to shop with confidence.”

The e-Learning is now available: here

To learn more about IGI and other offerings, visit here.

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Visit IGI during the JCK Show in Las Vegas (Booth # 11064) from June 10-13, 2022, for 10-minute eLearning Course previews at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm PT daily. To make an appointment, contact [email protected].