308. Why Jewellery Diplomas Can Transform Your Skills, Confidence and Business with Kelly Twigg — Jewellers Academy Podcast

This week on the Jewellers Academy Podcast, Jessica Rose is joined by jeweller, tutor and sea glass specialist Kelly Twigg.

Kelly shares how she went from a career in the Royal Navy to building a jewellery business, growing a supportive community on Instagram, and completing the Diploma in Silver Jewellery at Jewellers Academy. She also talks about why she is joining the new Diploma in Wax Jewellery, what drew her to wax as a medium, and why investing in your skills can have such a big impact on your confidence, creativity and business.

If you have ever wondered whether a diploma is the right next step for you, this episode is full of honest insight, encouragement and practical reflections from someone who has lived the journey.

In this episode, we cover:

Kelly's path into jewellery making and sea glass jewellery
building community through Instagram
what she learned from sharing her Diploma Diaries
how the Diploma in Silver Jewellery improved both new and existing skills
why she chose wax jewellery as her next step
learning as a self-employed jeweller
the value of accountability, structure and community
why investing in training often gives a bigger return than buying more tools

Key moments in this episode

00:02:00: Introduction to Kelly Twigg
00:03:15: Kelly's journey from the Royal Navy into jewellery making
00:04:46: How Instagram helped build connection and community
00:06:45: Kelly's Diploma Diaries and sharing the learning journey publicly
00:10:29: Why Kelly chose to do the Diploma in Silver Jewellery
00:11:49: How the diploma improved her soldering and core bench skills
00:14:23: Why Kelly is joining the Diploma in Wax Jewellery next
00:17:45: What excites her most about wax, gemstones and design possibilities
00:22:11: The projects she is most looking forward to in the Wax Diploma
00:26:54: Kelly's advice for anyone considering a jewellery diploma
00:31:58: Why investing in skills can be more valuable than buying more tools
00:34:15: Where to follow Kelly and final thoughts

Learn more about our jewellery Diploma programs here https://www.jewellersacademy.com/diplomas