A mentored, year-long professional training in jewellery making

The Remote Jewellery Year is for committed students who want to develop real bench competence and professional working methods, but need the flexibility to work from their own studio or home workspace.

This programme is suited to:

• Career-changers seeking rigorous, hands-on training

• Artists and makers wanting a solid technical foundation

• Students who value structure, critique, and accountability

• Those prepared to commit seriously to a year of learning

This programme is not designed for hobbyists or casual learners.

Most online jewellery courses focus on ideas, inspiration, or isolated techniques.

This programme focuses on how you work at the bench.

 You will be taught:

• Correct tool use and bench setup

• Professional fabrication methods

• Material understanding and accuracy

• Problem-solving through making

• Consistent working discipline

 Your work is regularly reviewed and corrected. Mistakes are identified early and addressed properly — the way they would be in a physical studio.

Our Remote Learning Course dates are from the 14th September 2026 - 25th June 2027.

There are 6 x In-Studio Weeks to attend through-out the course 10am - 5.30pm (With a 1 x hour lunch break)

Students should expect to commit approximately 30–35 hours per week to independent bench practice and making. This does not include time spent viewing pre-recorded demonstrations or attending optional live technical support sessions.

Live technical tutoring sessions will provisionally be held on Saturday mornings. Attendance is optional, and recordings will be made available to ensure access for all students.

Yes, you will have contact with the other students in your course.

Remote Learning Tuition (5 Weeks In-Studio and fully supported remote tuition: €9,900.00

Extra Costs:

1. Tools - approximately €1,000 (purchased and then owned by the student)

You will receive a detailed tools and materials shopping list to help you prepare. The Tool’s specified are the same tools that we use in our School. These are professional grade tools that you keep. We will also advise you on larger tools if you are interested in up-grading your workshop during the year.

2. Materials - Silver, Brass and some Gold Work. Approximately €500 - €800.00.

3. Graduation Collection project costs start from March to June of your course year. Your total collection materials cost will be approximately €500.00 - €800.00

Applications are reviewed to ensure the programme is the right fit for both student and school.

You are not attending a course based on ‘access to a room’. You are gaining access to a masters eye, training experience and over 40 years experience in the jewellery industry.

On completion of this course, you will be bench competent, with professional hand skills and will be ready to enter professional practice or undertake further advanced apprenticeship or training.

CAD is a valuable tool for volume jewellery manufacture that uses printed waxes to create jewellery components. Our students learn to understand the complexites of Traditional Jewellery Manufacture so that they can choose CAD as a future manufacturing tool if they wish.

Our course is intentionally non-CAD-centric and rooted in the history of Traditional Jewellery Techniques, where hand skills and material knowledge are intrinsic to the craft.

Our course tuition is grounded in traditional bench skills and hand fabrication, with close attention to proportion, line, material behaviour, and disciplined making.

The course prioritises the development of judgement, precision, and a refined design sensibility that underpin high-end, bespoke jewellery practice.

Yes. This certificate course is designed as a focused, practice-led alternative to a traditional university or CAO pathway for those seeking professional training in jewellery making, and is structured to be accessible to national and international students.

By the end of the year, students will have:

• A solid technical foundation in jewellery making

• The ability to work independently and safely at the bench

• Confidence using professional tools and materials

• An understanding of standards expected in professional practice

• A clear sense of next steps, whether employment, further training, or independent work

• A Graduation Collection that has been manufactured using casting as a tool.

• Your Graded Certificate from Deirdre O’Donnell - Jewellery Skills and Design Course