Foundation Programme 2024/25 – Application Guidelines and FAQs Overview The Goldsmiths’ Centre’s year-long Foundation Programme is unique to the UK and prepares young people aged 16 plus for a career in the jewellery and silversmithing industry. If you live in London or the Southeast, you’ll learn the core creative and craft skills needed to enter an apprenticeship, including our Goldsmiths’ Company Apprenticeship Scheme, employment or further or higher education studies. Our Foundation Programme is free to attend. If you are experiencing financial hardship, you may be eligible for The Goldsmiths’ Centre’s Foundation Programme Support Grants, which cover any financial need necessary for your continued participation on the course, such as transport costs or accommodation. Please indicate this at the relevant section of the application form. We look forward to receiving your application by 10pm on Sunday 5 May 2024. If you need any additional information or advice prior to submitting your application or you need the form in a different format, please contact our team to discuss how best we can support you. Call our team on +44 (0)207 566 7650 or email applications@goldsmiths-centre.org 1. Who can apply? The Foundation Programme is designed to support trainees between 16 and 19 years of age. The Goldsmiths’ Centre welcomes applications outside of this age range*, however, all applicants must meet the following criteria. Please apply if you:
reside in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or are able to relocate to London or the Southeast for the duration of the course. We are unable offer student visas to non-UK citizens as we are not a licensed student sponsor. Relocation expenses are not covered by the Foundation Programme Support Grants. can attend The Goldsmiths’ Centre between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday during term time. have GCSE Grades 9-4 in Mathematics and English. Applications with non-standard qualifications are invited provided that you can demonstrate your abilities through sketch books or 2D/3D work in your portfolio. are passionate about creativity, craft and being part of the unique creative jewellery and silversmithing industry.
* Age: The Foundation Programme is designed for 16- to 19-year-olds, but we've got a small capacity to recruit learners from 19 to 24. 2. How do I apply? This section details how to apply and the supporting documents you will need to submit with your application form.
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Step 1: Read these guidelines and our FAQs, or come to one of our in person or virtual
Open Days and ensure that you are eligible for the Foundation Programme. For further information, please visit www.goldsmiths-centre.org/learn-and-upskill/foundation-programme
Step 2: You can apply for the Foundation Programme either via: a. our online application form, hosted online via SurveyMonkey, which can be accessed via any standard web browser on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. This will need to be completed in one session, which is estimated to take up to 45 minutes. b. a video captured on your camera phone or computer and submitted via a file hosting service (such as a hidden Vimeo or YouTube link, Google Drive, Dropbox or WeTransfer) to applications@goldsmiths-centre.org - see our FAQs for a step by step guide on how to best capture your submission.
Step 3: Gather all your support materials and draft responses for your online or video recorded application in advance. Please note that once you start your application via Survey Monkey, you will need to complete it in one session. You will not be able to start the application and go back to it later. For this reason, we outline what questions you will need to answer and what information you will need to provide for your application in this step. As spaces are limited to 10 Foundation Programme trainees per year, we recommend that you submit your application as early as you can. Support documentation: Please ensure that you label all uploaded support documentation with your name. Please note that each file cannot be larger than 16MB. Before starting your application, you will need to prepare and gather the following supporting information:
A recent passport photo. Your up-to-date CV. A portfolio of your work. A draft of your personal statement.
You will need to upload your support documentation and complete all sections of the online application form as follows: Question 1: Title (Mr, Miss, Ms or Mx) Question 2: First name Question 3: Surname 2
Question 4: Date of birth Question 5: Home Address Question 6: Email address Question 7: Home telephone number Please provide your parent or guardian’s telephone number if you are under 18. Question 8: Mobile number Question 9: Please state all qualifications for GCSE and above. For qualifications still in progress, please enter your predicted grades. Question 10: If you have any additional requirements to attend an interview at The Goldsmiths’ Centre, please enter these here. Question 11: Personal statement Discover top tips on how to write a personal statement by visiting www.goldsmithscentre.org/learn-and-upskill/foundation-programme Question 12: Your personal statement should explain why you wish to study on The Goldsmiths’ Centre Foundation Programme under the following headings:
Introduction to yourself Areas of study (which part of your study has led you to your application; any short courses you have attended; your use of materials Experience (Including work experience, volunteering etc.) Extra-curricular/hobbies Long-term ambitions (including progression aims)
Question 12: How did you hear about the Foundation Programme? Question 13: Do you require further information on The Goldsmiths’ Centre’s Foundation Programme Support Grants? Question 14: Please upload a recent passport photo here (file must be less than 16MB). Question 15: Please upload your CV here (file must be less than 16MB). Question 16: Please upload your portfolio here (file must be less than 16MB). Discover our top tips on how to put together your portfolio by visiting www.goldsmiths-centre.org/learnand-upskill/foundation-programme Question 17: Are you able to attend either or both of the assessment days on 22 and 23 May at The Goldsmiths’ Centre (EC1M 5AD, London)? Question 18: Please tick this box if you have had assistance completing this application form. Question 19: Signature and date
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Question 20: Signature of parent or guardian if under 18 years on 9 September 2024 and date. Applications should be submitted via SurveyMonkey via a link which will be available on our website. Incomplete applications will not be assessed.
Step 4: Once your application has been received you will receive an email with a link to complete our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Survey via SurveyMonkey, which will come from applications@goldsmiths-centre.org. This survey is anonymous but requires completion before your application is considered.
This will help support The Goldsmiths’ Centre’s EDI strategy - see www.goldsmithscentre.org/about-us. The EDI survey will be sent to you within 7 days of receiving your application form, please check your Junk Mail and notify us if you have not received this.
Step 5: Once your EDI survey has been received, we will take a look at your application. If shortlisted, you will be required to attend a one-day assessment, which will take place at The Goldsmiths’ Centre* (42 Britton Street, London EC1M 5AD) on Wednesday 22 or Thursday 23 May 2024 from 10am until 4.30pm. You will be asked to participate in technical and creative skills exercises and will have the opportunity to introduce yourself to some of our tutors. This is so we can evaluate your problem-solving skills and artistic ability whilst also allowing you to demonstrate your accuracy and willingness to learn. When you submit your application, please let us know which of the two dates is more convenient for you and we will do our best to honour your request.
FAQs Is it possible to apply in other ways than the written application form? Yes, you can submit a simple video captured on your camera phone or computer by following the steps below: Step 1: Decide the format: Before you start filming, familiarise yourself with the questions in the application form and how you can best present your case through video. Step 2: Write your script: Start by introducing yourself and then film a response to each question / section of the application form citing the number of each section in the application. Make sure your film is no longer than 30 minutes in total. Step 3: Rehearse: It’s important to know what you’re going to say in your video, so write a short script and rehearse what you are going to say beforehand until you’re completely
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comfortable. You may want to enlist the help of a friend or family member. Make sure to speak clearly and slowly, and let your personality shine through. Step 4: Shoot your video: You don't need to buy or hire expensive equipment to create your video. You can simply use the camera on your smartphone (although you will need a tripod, something to prop your phone onto or a friend to film you) or a computer. Set aside a few hours so there’s no time pressure – you’ll want to do as many takes as necessary to get it right. You should always film in a well-lit, indoor location with as little background noise as possible. Don’t film against a window; rather use it as natural side lighting. Do some test runs first to make sure the lighting is bright enough and the audio is clear on speakers and headphones – it can also be invaluable to have a friend record with you to get an alternative perspective. Step 5: Submit your video application: Once you've saved your video in a common format such as MOV, MP4 or AVI, you can share your file via Wetransfer, Google drive or Dropbox. You can also upload your video as a hidden video on YouTube or Vimeo and provide us with the link to applications@goldsmiths-centre.org
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