About the programme
The Certificate in Jewellery is an NZQF Level 4 programme at Whitecliffe that introduces the jewellery manufacturing process over 18 weeks of full-time study (60 credits) and serves as a first step towards a career in jewellery or goldsmithing.
Jewellery and goldsmith theory is paired with bench work. Students learn why precision, accuracy, problem-solving and design matter in the trade, then put that into practice: measuring and marking out, forming, filing, soldering, making settings, drilling stone and back holes, and polishing, working towards filed pieces, band rings and mounts.
More advanced details follow, including stone openings, wirework, shank variations, bezels, pips, brooch pins and bales, alongside culturally safe workshop practice. The course ends with an individual project in which each student designs and makes their own piece.
According to Whitecliffe, classes run four days a week, every student has a dedicated bench in the studio, a basic tool kit is supplied, and students buy their own metals, stones and consumables. No previous experience is needed. Graduates can take junior roles in the trade or meet the entry requirements for Whitecliffe's Bachelor of Jewellery Design + Technology. The programme is taught at the Auckland City (Symonds Street) campus, and Whitecliffe notes that it runs subject to enrolments and demand.
Entry requirements
- Domestic applicants: at least 16 years old at the start of study; no formal qualifications or portfolio needed.
- International applicants: turn 18 during the first year of study.
- IELTS (General or Academic) of 5.5 with no band below 5, or equivalent.
- Meet New Zealand visa requirements.
What you study
- Jewellery and goldsmith theory
- Fabrication techniques — marking out, forming, filing, soldering, polishing
- Settings and stone openings
- Wirework, shanks, bezels, brooch pins and bales
- Culturally safe work practices
- Individual design and make project
Careers after graduation
- Junior Jewellery Assistant
- Apprentice
- Bench Hand
- Maker in associated creative industries
- Further study: Bachelor of Jewellery Design + Technology
Post-study work visa
Generally not available for this qualification
Depends on the qualification, the length of study and other Immigration New Zealand requirements.
This description is based on the official programme page, checked on 20/09/2026. Ask an NIU adviser about fees and intake dates — the programme page on the Whitecliffe website