Luxury French jewellery brand Cartier will be looking to the Jewellery Quarter for its next generation of talent after signing a deal with the School of Jewellery in Birmingham

The agreement with the School – part of BCU’s Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD) – will see students taking work placements at Cartier Richemont, as well as the company helping with studio facilities and equipment.

The agreement follows a recent visit to the Jewellery School by two Cartier officials.

Professor Jack Cunningham, the head of the School of Jewellery, said: “This is an important commitment and further significantly deepens the ongoing relationship between Cartier and Richemont UK and our Birmingham School of Jewellery.

“We are delighted to be working with such a prestigious luxury brand recognised internationally for quality, styling and aesthetics in design and performance and respected as a world leader in its sector. We are focussed on delivering quality courses for our students that lead to real employment opportunities and this partnership is a key example of our core beliefs in top quality design and employability.”

BIAD is the home of the largest jewellery school in Europe.

Fabien Pellegrini, the director of Cartier UK, said, “We have been recruiting students who have completed the Horology Course at the Birmingham School of Jewellery for years and as a result we are delighted to be able to assist the Horology Course with their studio and equipment, and to provide assistance with work placements for students to get ‘real life on the job work experience’. Our focus is on ensuring the long-term quality and performance of our products and our sector.

“We are very much looking forward to working more closely and productively with Professor Cunningham and Jeremy Hobbins who heads up this important Horology Course at the Birmingham School of Jewellery.”