The reasons a person becomes an engraver, jeweler or stone setter are many and varied. Some, like Charles Schreck, engrave just for fun and personal satisfaction, not as a job. Others, like Ashton Ludden discover this art form by chance and then choose to make a living from it. Those who take the professional path find creative and rewarding challenges in everyday work. One unique story is about a young jewelery apprentice from Cambridge, England.

His name is Alasdair Craig. He was told at the age of 16 that he would never likely achieve more than a minimum-wage job because of his severe dyslexia. Now at 23, Alasdair is in his fifth year as a jewelery maker and stone setter apprentice...and he's already making quite a name for himself. While working at Cellini, a company of jewelery specialists in Cambridge, Alasdair won the "Outstanding Practical Learner Award" in 2006 as part of the Edge Employer Awards. In 2007, he chose to use part of this award to travel from England to the GRS Training Center in Emporia, Kansas, USA to further increase his skills as a stone setter. Alasdair took the Advanced Stone Setting course with Blaine Lewis specifically to learn special techniques.

This young man is creating his own future by striving for excellence in the world of creative jewelery. He not only applies himself at the bench, he actively seeks out opportunities to learn top skills that can really make a difference, even if it means crossing an ocean.

No matter what your reasons are for wanting to engrave, carve, make jewelry or set stones, GRS has the training and tools to get you started, or to advance your skills to a higher level.