The State Diamond Trader’s Diamond Development Initiative
The Enterprise Development Programme was launched in 2015. It was borne from realising that the South African diamond manufacturing landscape was an aging one at that stage, with little to no new young entrants. The programme aims to recruit youth that possesses entrepreneurial interests within the South African Diamonds Beneficiation Industry.
Programme Aims To Recruit Youth
The programme aims to recruit youth that possesses entrepreneurial interests within the South African Diamonds Beneficiation Industry. Through the 3-year programme, participants are exposed to and equipped with rough diamond sorting and valuation skills, cutting and polishing skills, and marketing as well as trading skills of polished diamonds. The participants are further exposed to and
trained on international diamond processing and trading standards.
Collaboration With Diamond Industry
Stakeholders
State Diamond Trader is not a training or academic institution, consequently, the success of the Enterprise Development Programme is attained through effective collaboration with diamond industry stakeholders, partnerships with our clients, KGK Diamonds, Rez Diamonds, Hall of Diamonds, Wintana Diamonds, Thoko
Diamonds, Molefi Lestiki Diamond Holdings, Trigon Adams, Nungu Diamonds, etc.
Collaboration with the De Beers Group in respect of industry development programmes and training institutions like Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Training School continuously contributes to the positive outcomes of State Diamond Trader’s development programme.
The Enterprise Development Programme
The Enterprise Development Programme has trained more than 30 young South Africans in the technical knowledge of the diamond industry. More than 10 of these participants were absorbed by the diamond beneficiation industry as polishers and four businesses were established: Sunrise Gems, Vivid Gems, House of Phoenix, and Carbon Crown.
These four companies are registered clients of State Diamond Trader and some
of them have qualified for De Beers Group programs, therefore the journey continues until these companies become successful large businesses within the manufacturing landscape of the country.
State Diamond Trader Is Committed To Its Objective
In February 2023, the EDP programme was relaunched and
State Diamond Trader recruited six young participants to start
their journey in the diamond industry. State Diamond Trader is committed to its objective of facilitating growth in the diamond sector through relevant interventions and strongly believes that effective collaboration with stakeholders is the key to ensuring the growth and sustainability of the South African diamond industry.
Considering that not all programme participants are entrepreneurial, the entity also gauges the programme’s success participants by instilling technical skill that ensures employment.
Above: State Diamond Trader recruited six young
participants to start their journey in the diamond industry.
