Diamond Council of America Hires Performance Concepts
Two Twenty-year Veterans Revamp The Diamond Course and The Colored Gemstone Courses
Nashville, TN: In an effort to continue to provide the best possible education and training to its members, the Diamond Council of America (DCA) announced today it has hired a distinguished business training firm to develop its new and improved The Diamond Course and The Colored Gemstone Courses. Performance Concepts, headquartered in Olympia, Washington, was founded in 1995 to meet the education, training and business development needs of the jewelry industry. Its principals, Janice Mack Talcott and Kate B. Peterson, combine nearly fifty years of experience in gemology, sales, operations, management, training, curriculum design, course development, adult learning and technology.
"DCA's members expect the highest quality and most relevant educational tools for their employees," said Terry Chandler, President of the DCA. "With Performance Concepts directing this endeavor, we are confident the new The Diamond Course and The Colored Gemstone Courses will not only meet the expectations of our members, but exceed them in the year 2000 and well beyond."
The Diamond Council of America, headquartered in Nashville, TN, is the leading educational certification organization for professional retail jewelry salespeople. Since the organization's beginnings in 1944, more than 25,000 retail jewelry professionals have graduated from the DCA's course offerings and have become credentialed Gemologists and certified Diamontologists.
New Courses Overview
The The Diamond Course, which is being completely revised and updated, will offer 21 in-depth lessons, divided into three basic sections: "Need to Know" information at the sales counter, such as the 4 C's, background, and supporting information to enhance the sales presentation. The The Colored Gemstone Course will be developed to offer 16 lessons on colored gemstones and pearls, and will be divided into three sections: product categories, value factors and related topics. The The Colored Gemstone Course will also include a "Counter Compendium," containing gemstones profiles and applicable counter charts and lists.
"The new courses offer an extensive base of hands-on relevance for today's jewelry salesperson, enabling them to quickly and easily apply their knowledge to virtually every customer interaction," said Janice Mack Talcott, co-owner of Performance Concepts. "These courses will empower the Diamond Council to continue its mission of education into the next century with a cutting edge approach."
"The courses will include direct learning techniques as part of the basic design, to enable students to develop the skills to use their newfound knowledge immediately," adds Kate Peterson, CO-owner with Mack Talcott. "Our development and writing team is well-versed and experienced in effective adult learning methods."
DCA President Chandler says the DCA is committed to the finest and most cost-efficient education for its members. "We are a vital and growing force within our industry," he concluded, "and with these new courses, the best is yet to come."