The Worldwide Gemological Institute has appointed John Pollard (pictured) to be its senior director of schooling.

On this newly created position, Pollard will oversee and develop IGI’s academic choices at its 14 colleges of gemology world wide, together with its gemstone grading and jewellery design programs, interactive e-learning, and educational seminars and webinars.

“IGI at the moment teaches extra programs in additional areas than some other gemological institute,” Pollard tells JCK. “Just lately, in North America, there was heavy demand for schooling about lab-grown diamonds, which IGI is offering, in addition to schooling for gross sales professionals on quite a lot of gemological matters, beginning with diamond 4Cs fundamentals, which could be utilized at level of sale.”

“I’m happy that John is taking over this vital position,” added Roland Lorie, IGI CEO, in an announcement. “At IGI now we have all the time felt a duty to supply correct gemological schooling to all who select to enter this discipline. Solely then can now we have a powerful business, trusted by customers.”

Pollard was most lately director of schooling for PriceScope.com and has collaborated on initiatives with IGI for greater than a decade. In 2020, he designed curriculum and coaching for the lab’s shoppers.

He has been an everyday guide for diamond producers, sellers, and grading laboratories, home and abroad, and has led academic seminars at JCK Las Vegas, the American Gem Society Conclave, the Gemological Institute of America Alumni Affiliation, and IGI commerce conferences in Beijing and Shanghai, China.

At PriceScope, he carried out a number of webinars, together with one with this author.

A former Texas public college educator, Pollard holds levels in schooling, gemology, and music. He was twice honored together with his district schooling basis’s Award of Excellence.

He stays energetic in schooling advocacy on a nationwide stage, holding a place on the board of administrators of Music for All, America’s largest and most influential music schooling group.

(Picture courtesy of Worldwide Gemological Institute)

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