Student Orientation & Curriculum Guide 
Policies and Procedures
Careers and Opportunities

There are many Career and Opportunity pathways available to the beadworker or jewelry-maker.  These include:

1.  Teaching
You might teach from your home, at a local shop, at bead and craft conferences or a workshop circuit, at bead and craft retail or wholesale shows, at local colleges (typically in an art or fiber-art department).  

2. Designing
You might design and create necklaces, bracelets, earrings, embellished clothing and costuming, embellished objects of art, beaded art dolls. 

3.  Selling
You might sell from your home, open your own shop, sell on consignment or wholesale, sell at flea markets, bead and craft shows, conferences with an exhibit area, at your place of work, do home shows, or on the internet.

4.  Research
You might research the history of beads, the contemporary use of beads, on particular skills and their development, the social organization of the bead or jewelry-making arenas, beads and economics, beads and social development, marketing beads and jewelry.   You might develop methods and theories of design.

5.  Social and Educational Programs
You might incorporate the skills of beadworking or jewelry-making into ongoing social programs which meet the needs of children, elderly, unemployed, disadvantaged, patients in hospitals and health care facilities, immigrants, underdeveloped economic regions around the world.

6.  Politics and World Trade
Beads through history have played a prominent role in trade, power and economic development.   You might want to incorporate your knowledge and skills in the development of micro-economies in the less developed world, as well as business development and loan and micro-loan programs in these same areas.

7.  Mentoring
You might want to teach and guide other beadworkers and jewelry-makers through their own professional skills development.