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Metal Jewellery 1: Foundation

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This seven-week program introduces the art of jewellery making with time to hone your skills in our newly renovated, fully equipped metal jewellery studio. This course is suitable for those just beginning jewellery making as a hobby or potential home-based business and anyone who has previous experience and would like a refresher. Learn how to draw and design jewellery, safe studio practices, basic sawing and piercing skills, cold connections, low-tech casting methods, drilling, filing, sanding and finishing techniques. Explore basic bezel setting construction and how to accurately set stones in bezels, basic soldering skills and applying textures to metal. The program includes business practices for the jewellery artisan and our popular introduction to northwest coast Indigenous art and engraving.

This is a non-credit program offered through Continuing Education and Training.

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Location

Length

Delivery
Campbell River
Fall 		7 weeks In-person
Full-time

Registration open.

 

Overview

This program serves as a well-rounded introduction to the art of jewellery making. In addition to the foundational drawing and design principles, you’ll build core technical skills in our newly renovated, fully equipped metal jewellery studio. Our curriculum includes:

  • Safe studio practices
  • Basic sawing and piercing skills 
  • Cold connections
  • Low-tech casting methods
  • Drilling, filing, sanding and finishing techniques
  • Basic bezel setting construction
  • Stone setting
  • Basic soldering
  • Techniques to apply textures to metal 

In addition to “hard” skills, we’ll also cover business practices for jewellery artisans and an introduction to northwest coastal Indigenous art and engraving.

Requirements and courses

Through this course, students will gain an understanding of the processes involved in designing a piece of jewellery. Principles of design are examined and discussed and many tools for creative thinking will be explored. Students will be required to keep a sketch book of their ideas, including a workflow of how designs can be turned into reality. Students will use a variety of pencils and paint to create illustrations.

Students will learn the safety and traditional skill of engraving metals to produce either First Nations or contemporary-themed work. Students will prepare their own engraving tool and practice hand engraving. Students will explore the history of Indigenous design and the nature of Northwest Coast First Nations art. The use of First Nations designs and the political and cultural aspects of "appropriation" as it relates to Indigenous culture will be discussed.

Students will learn studio safety, workbench set up and design, and tips for the safe use of various equipment. The class will review and look at samples of the supplies required for this level, discuss metal characteristics used in jewellery making and survey a variety of tools and techniques used in working with metal. Students will learn sawing and piercing metal, riveting, surface treatments, soldering, bezel fabrication, bezel setting, band rings, and finishing and polishing. Assignments will be given under each technique learned.

Students will learn basic casting methods such as cuttlebone casting, broom casting, sand casting and delft clay casting. They will be introduced to the equipment and safety as well as the limitations surrounding each technique. Students will use each method and produce a completed project.

In this course students will begin to create digital portfolios with an introduction to small scale photography. They will learn about promotional opportunities such as social media, web sales, show and exhibition entries. Students will learn about business card design and create a draft for a professional business card.

Schedule

Classes run Monday to Thursday from 9 am to 3 pm, with occasional sessions on Fridays.

Dates: September 8 to October 23, 2025

Supplies

These items are mandatory for the first day of class. A detailed list, including a recommended supplier and estimated costs, will be provided to you prior to classes starting.

  • Beeswax or beeswax candle
  • Economy end cutters
  • Drill (twist) bits set
  • File handles
  • Files needle – fine (number four, 6")
  • Files needle – medium (number two, 6")
  • GRS graver square (2 mm)
  • Graver mushroom handle
  • Riveting hammer
  • Chasing hammer
  • Rawhide economy hammer
  • Copper sheet – 20 gauge
  • Copper sheet – 18 gauge
  • Brass sheet – 18 gauge
  • Combo half-round/flat pliers
    • Economy chain nose pliers
    • Economy flat nose pliers
    • Economy round nose pliers
  • Polishing buffs – yellow chemkote 3"
  • Polishing buffs –Finex muslin 3"
  • Jewellers 4" throat saw
  • Saw blades 3/0 per gross (12 dz)
  • Silver solder – easy
  • Silver solder – medium
  • Silver solder – hard
  • Split mandrels for sanding
  • Tweezers – cross lock curved
  • Tweezers – cross lock straight
  • Tweezers – utility
  • Polishing finger tape

Careers

Our metal jewellery alum pursue independent work as artisans, but also find opportunities applying their technical skills in apprenticeships and other professional settings.

$34,800*

Annual estimated earnings for jewellers, jewellery and watch repairers and related occupations in BC. 
Career profile

*Based on WorkBC data

$46,926*

Annual estimated earnings for artisans and craftpersons in BC. 
Career profile

*Based on WorkBC data

Costs

The tuition for this program is $2,500. 

How to apply

To register for this program fill out and submit the digital form. After we've received your registration form, you’ll receive an email from NIC with your next steps. Be sure to add @nic.bc.ca to your safe sender list.

Get started

Questions? Connect with our team at cet@nic.bc.ca or 250-334-5005. 

Related programs

Stack your training with the Metal Jewellery suite of programs.

Frequently asked questions

Metal Jewellery 1 - Foundation is the best place to start if you have little to no experience. This level requires no previous jewellery making experience. You'll learn basic skills and safety practices so you can begin creating your own designs. The skills from one level are built upon in the next.

If you're already experienced in jewellery making, you may be able to start with Metal Jewellery 2 or Metal Jewellery 3. The appropriate level will depend on your skillset and safety knowledge. Contact cet@nic.bc.ca to book an interview with the lead instructor to get started. 

You'll have to supply a few things yourself (see the supply list above) and you'll be provided with a some materials for use in learning certain metal jewellery techniques. If you're planning on taking more than one level of metal jewellery design, you may be able to save yourself time by shopping for supplies for both programs at once. The studio itself is fully equipped with all the tools you'll need for making jewellery. If you choose to work metals such as sterling silver, brass or bronze, you can purchase these metals at a wholesale rate during class. If you want to work with gold, you may need to purchase further equipment. 

Yes, of course! You're welcome to bring in any metals or cabochon gemstones you'd like to work with. In Metal Jewellery 2 and 3, you can even re-purpose your previously used metal and gemstones from other projects. Check with the instructor to see if the supplies you have are suitable for the projects and techniques you'll be working on.

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Still have questions?

Get in touch with our Future Students team.

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