Q. As a leading global diamond producer, how critical is it for Batswana to have diamond value chain technical expertise?
A: It is of utmost importance that Batswana are equipped with skills to be able to participate in the diamond value chain. This could be in areas such as mining, rough diamond sorting and polishing, jewellery design and manufacturing, as well as retail. For this to happen Batswana need to be adequately skilled and educated with the appropriate technical expertise.
Q. Kindly explain what the De Beers Diamond Academy is and how it works.
A: The De Beers Diamond Training Academy is a learning institution of De Beers Group. It offers skills development and education for internal employees. It also offers skills to members of the public. These include individuals working in the public and private sectors, as well as students. The courses offered are BQA accredited.
Q: How did it come about and when was the academy established?
A: The De Beers Diamond Training Academy was established in 2013 as part of the historic relocation of De Beers Global Sightholder Sales from London to Gaborone. At the time, the primary objective of the Academy was to provide technical diamond-related training to internal employees and third-party stakeholders.
In 2018 the Academy went through structural and operational changes which led to the expansion of its services to include the provision of commercialised courses to the public and the inclusion of leadership and other skills enhancement programmes to internal employees.
Q. Please share with us the services offered at the academy. What courses are available at the academy?
A:The Academy provides the following courses.
i) The Diamond Foundation & Rough Sorting course.
This course is a combination of online learning and practical rough diamond sorting. The course allows learners to explore the entire diamond value chain and focuses on developing the necessary skills for sorting and valuation of rough diamonds.
ii) Polished Diamonds Grading Course.
This is a combination of online learning and practical laboratory experience.
The course targets learners wishing to acquire advanced skills in the grading and valuation of polished diamonds. It allows those working within more senior roles across the industry or those in a laboratory environment to understand the key distinguishing elements of polished diamonds, including the 4Cs.
iii) Introduction to the 4Cs workshop
This is a workshop that provides learners with valuable hands-on experience in grading diamonds according to the 4Cs. It is a perfect course for those working within a retail environment or particularly useful for those wishing to have a short induction into this fascinating world of diamonds.
Q. Does the academy have accreditations?
A: The De Beers Diamond Training Academy prides itself in its certification on the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System. It is also accredited by the Botswana Qualifications Authority as an Educational Training Provider. The Academy also collaborates with the Institute of Diamonds in London for the provision of its online offerings.
Q. What are the requirements for one to be enrolled at the academy?
A: One needs to have acquired BGCSE/ Form 5 level and be 18 years and above
Q. What capacity does the academy have in terms of enrolment numbers, the number of trainers as well as their technical expertise?
A: The De Beers Diamond Training Academy prides itself in having a team of highly qualified and experienced staff. Enrollment numbers are based on applications and training needs and roughly 100 learners go through the academy annually.
Q. Since its establishment, what has the academy achieved and how is that impacting the diamond industry in Botswana and abroad?
A: The De Beers Diamond Training Academy provides Diamond education skills for internal and external learners which greatly supports the efforts to develop skills necessary for employment and entrepreneurship in the industry.
Of note is the Learnership Programme which is a four-month beneficiation programme to equip learners with intensive diamond sorting and valuation skills.
Q. Since establishment, how many trainees have graduated from the Academy, and with what skills?
A. The Learnership Programme has graduated 8 cohorts and of these, De Beers has absorbed 90 percent into the business inclusive of differently-abled learners. In 2023, the Academy hosted the University Lecturers Diamond Knowledge Capacitation.
In partnership with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, 21 lecturers gained critical diamond skills. The tailored course targeted educators from the University of Botswana, Botho University, Limkokwing & Oodi College of Arts, as well as officials from the Ministry of Education & Skills Development – Teacher Training and Technical Education Unit.
The modules covered were Understanding the Diamond Pipeline, Introduction to Rough Sorting and Polished Grading, Price points and diamond handling for both rough and polished diamonds, and IIDGR Polished Lab Grading including Clarity, Colour, Cut and Carat Rounding.
The 6-week program was designed to capacitate lecturers from different institutions of higher learning to fully understand the entire Diamond pipeline and gain the basics on the concepts of sorting and valuation of rough diamonds and how these rough Diamonds are converted into polished and eventually turned into Jewellery pieces. The eligible delegates also undertook practical exercises and gained some basic diamond mathematical calculations to be able to understand polished estimations out of rough. By understanding the complexity of the material in greater detail, the lecturers are able to transfer this knowledge to their students.
Q. In general, how have the skills in the diamond industry improved after the establishment of the Academy?
A: There was a critical need to support the development of diamond related skills in order to advance the broader beneficiation agenda in the country and to enhance Botswana’s reputation as a globally recognised Diamond Centre. The services offered by the De Beers Diamond Academy contribute to this objective.
