GAA plans major changes

Posted June 08, 2010 |

The GAA will restructure its organisation and establish a national headquarters in a move designed to improve trade education in Australia.

The Gemmological Association of Australia’s (GAA) overhaul is part of a strategic plan for the future, approved at the annual GAA conference held from May 19 to 23.

In one key decision, the federal body of the GAA will finally have its own headquarters which is currently spread across GAA’s six Australian divisions without clear representation.

According to a GAA press release: “This major overhaul of the administrative structure of the GAA will provide a more professional face for the Association [and] provide a 'one-stop-shop' for enquiries.”

The release states that the “streamlining” is necessary because many administrative tasks are being double-handled between state divisions.

The federal body will be based in Victoria and is expected to be in operation by the end of the year.

GAA educational courses will also receive an overhaul as part of the strategic plan.

A new federal entity, led by a principal education officer, will deliver all courses in Australia instead of each individual division.

GAA Federal President Terry Coldham said the current system has “led to a degree of inconsistency between divisions”.

“We want to have a consistency throughout the courses, including the price they’re being delivered at, the way they’re being delivered, the teaching aids and lecture notes,” he said.

In addition, government accreditation will be obtained for several key GAA courses, including the soon-to-be accredited Practical Diamond Grading course.

Coldham said Government accreditation ensues his organisation maintains “a certain standard of education, facilities and quality of lecturers”.

The core gemmology course will be re-packaged in a modularised format, breaking-up the course into more specific areas of expertise.

“Our core gemmology course is currently a two-year course called ‘Gem 1’ and ‘Gem 2’. That’s the way it’s been operating for many years. By modularising we’re going to break it down into a smaller number of stand-alone courses,” he said.

Changes to education will be in place for the first semester of 2011, while the newly created position of principal education officer will be filled by August 2010.

The GAA will also introduce a new website in the coming weeks, with features for members, students, the wider industry and the general public.

Coldham said of the strategic plan: “It’s a very bold plan. It will make the GAA a much more professional organisation with much more central management. It will allow our divisions to operate more consistently and provide us with a tool to maintain the consistency of our educational standards across Australia.”

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