In the Trade - An interview with Rebecca Skeels, Jeweller and Course Director at Birmingham City University
Rebecca Skeels is the Senior Lecturer and Course Director for the Jewellery and Objects BA with honours course at Birmingham City University's School of Jewellery as well as a jeweller in her own right. Rebecca has always had a fundamental love of materials and craft in general from her initial BA Honours back in 1993 to supporting the application for, her current home, Birmingham, to become a World Craft City of Jewellery and Allied Trades.
Who, what, where, how long?
I started my business in October 1994 after graduating from the University of Wales. I've been a senior lecturer since December 2019 and the Course Director since July 2024 at the School of Jewellery at Birmingham City University. Working with a great team to deliver the Jewellery and Objects BA with honours course. I am also External Examiner at Brighton University, for the BA with Honours Designer Maker course based at the Station Plaza Campus in Hastings.
As well as being Freeman of the Mystery of the Goldsmiths and Freeman of the City of London, I am a member of notable trade associations such as the Jewellery and Allied Trades Roundtable, the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust, the Trade Advisory Sub-Committee and industry mentor for the Goldsmiths Centre.
How you started, route into the trade, any qualifications?
After a BTEC OND in Art and Design followed by a BA honours Wood, Metal and Plastics, Gwent College of HE, I travelled a bit and then set up my jewellery & product design company, SKEELS in my mum's shed. In 1995 I moved down to London to join the Clerkenwell Green Association (later Craft Central) on their starter scheme. I stayed a while and worked on commissions as well as my own collections ranging from unique handmade cufflinks, pendants and furniture to installations in public spaces. My bird inspired rings and pins are made from a mixture of metals, from metal clay, brass, steel and silver using a variety of processes including casting, hand building, soldering, texturing and oxidizing. The legs of the ducks, chickens and crows become individual display stands of the jewellery when not worn. My work is exhibited through galleries, shops, craft shows and trade exhibitions in the UK and abroad.
My thirst for knowledge and passion for sharing led me to graduate from Central Saint Martin’s with an MA Project by Design in 2002 and then South Hill Park Artist in Residence for three years – teaching short courses and evening classes alongside my business . At the end of the residency I became the technician at Farnham Surrey Institute of art and Design (became College for the Creative Arts and then University for the Creative Arts) and achieved a PGC in Higher Education from the University for the Creative Arts before becoming the tutor in Jewellery and metalwork pathways at UCA. In 2013 I became the Subject Lead for the MA courses in the School of Craft and Design at UCA and in December 2019 moved to Birmingham to take up the Senior Lecturer role at BCU.
Through research and experimentation with alternative materials, I produced a number of one-off pieces to complement my existing ranges. This led to managing and running a symposium/exchange with the Jewellers and Silversmiths Network (JSN) and the Critique Collective Network in San Francisco in 2010. I'm also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Bit about the job, tasks, market etc
I've been working full time at Birmingham City University since December 2019, the main focus is teaching, supporting students and developing the BA honours Jewellery and Objects course at the School of Jewellery.
As course director I also support and manage an amazing team of lecturers, senior lecturers and Visiting tutors that work together on the BA honours Jewellery and Objects course.
As an Academic at the School it is expected that other tasks, roles and projects are also taken on.
I have been the College Academic Lead for Employability and Mobility. Working with university teams to develop opportunities that are embedded into the curriculum, offered as extracurricular activities and opportunities offered upon graduating and for alumni. The opportunities were for students and alumni to develop skills, knowledge and understanding and gain experiences that allow them to have a higher level of success in gaining the career path of their choice.
During 2020 I became a Core Athena Swan Committee Member, this meant as part of the working group and the small core writing team, reviewed, researched and created an action plan to act on and support others to ensure the actions take place to create a positive impact on the communities across the Institute of Jewellery, Fashion and Textiles in relation the Athena Swan Charter. BCU Institute of Jewellery, Fashion and Textiles received the Bronze Award in September 2023. This led to being part of the Equality, diversity and Inclusivity working group and then leading and working with a small team to develop an opportunity for two Diversity Champions in the School of Jewellery. The project was a De Beers and Birmingham City University collaboration. Colleagues include Kate Thorley, Dauvit Alexander and Bridie Lander. Where Kate Thorley took over the mentoring and support of the Diversity Champion from 2023 to 2025.
More recently I have lead the Schools participation in the application for Birmingham to become a World Craft City of Jewellery and Allied Trades. – The application was submitted by Birmingham City University, the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust and Birmingham City Council and supported by many working in the jewellery trade in the Jewellery Quarter and beyond - the results will be announced on the 3rd June 2025!
Other tasks include:
- Mentoring for new staff, Fellowship, and Senior Fellowship Applications to the Higher Education Academy and Academic Professional Apprenticeship/PGCert.
- School Lead for Marketing and Recruitment with a focus on Open Day and Offer Holder Day activities, Web and Brochure content and developing other listings and opportunities.
- Participate on annual panels for Reviewing Fellowship and Senior Fellowship applications to the Higher Education Academy.
- The School of Jewellery loves to work with its partners locally, nationally and internationally. Supporting those entering the industry, but also those that wish to develop in the industry and supporting and working together for a better future.
- The BA honours jewellery and objects program is designed for creative individuals passionate about being supported and empowered to be creative thinkers, stand out in a digital world and to develop resilience, knowledge and skills for a career in the jewellery and object industry. They learn traditional craftsmanship, contemporary design process and techniques and entrepreneurial skills from experienced jewellery and object industry experts.
- At the School they can access state-of-the-art facilities and tools to bring their creative visions to life. And have the opportunity to embrace a broad range of experiences to help guide and develop their own career pathways. We hope they prepare to innovate and lead in the global jewellery and object market with the experiences, skills and knowledge gained from our course. We hope students join us to undertake a journey to discover their own career path in the industry.
- The course is currently the biggest in the School of Jewellery and has a fabulous cohort of students from the UK and Abroad, all bringing a diversity and new knowledge, skills and understanding of the Jewellery and Objects Industries from around the world.
Favourite Task
The full time job favourite is being with the students, helping them with their ideas, suggesting options, helping them discover and work out what the industry is about, what all the options are and where they would be happy following a career path, be it retail, curation, making, designing, researching, teaching … the list goes on.
My favourite projects I love are working with others, especially those that are so eager it is about providing the support for others or opportunity for others over anything else. (there are a lot of these people in the Jewellery industry)
I think my role in life is to help others find a career and role they love and help them achieve it through sharing opportunities and a tool kit of knowledge and understanding and skills as best I can, in different ways.
Least favourite task
I don’t like marking much, I like bits of it – the looking through work, the providing some feedback and support for developing. But I am not a fan of the % grade and time restrictions for learning and understanding… this is where I could rant ... I won’t, I hope I am providing support with a great group of people that make up the Jewellery and Allied Trades Roundtable. Our discussions and planning and letters to parliament are to fight and support the broad industry and every corner of it.
Thoughts for Dream client
Students with passion and drive and eagerness to learn, play and explore. Embracing the journey. Just imagine if everyone had this built in! How exciting life would be.
Favourite Walsh tool/product
I didn’t expect that question… I have a lot of Walsh tools!
I am very proud of my Mickey Wu Jewellers Bench, especially as I made my benches in my first workshops, this seemed really extravagant at the time I bought it, but is serving me really well.
But you can never beat a good pair of parallel pliers, another item I wish I had bought earlier, but I have now had the same pair for 20 years.
I should really say the best product is the book Soldering for Jewellers’ by Rebecca Skeels… no need to say why I hope… I just love to share information, and this was a great opportunity to do that!
