Stargems opens doors to diamond training facility and eyes Botswana as a skills hub
Stargems, in partnership with the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Training School, has opened its Gaborone diamond training facility to the media, highlighting efforts to expand access to specialised skills and position Botswana as a regional centre for diamond training.
The media tour coincided with the facility’s first practical Rough Diamond Evaluation course in Botswana, giving trainees an opportunity to handle and evaluate natural rough diamonds under the guidance of experienced trainers.
The programme combines a 12-week theory component with a one-week practical course. Practical sessions run from Monday to Friday, allowing participants to apply their theoretical knowledge to real diamonds and develop evaluation skills that are difficult to acquire through classroom learning alone.
Neil Rademeyer, School Director of the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Training School, said the partnership offers an opportunity to connect Botswana’s diamond resources with skills development and entrepreneurship.
“Botswana’s diamond wealth can also become a source of skills and enterprise. By giving students hands-on experience with real diamonds, we are helping them turn knowledge into practical ability, whether they want to build a career or start a business. Our ambition is for Botswana to become a place where Africa comes to learn the diamond trade,” Rademeyer said.
Stargems is supporting access to training for Batswana through its bursary programme. The company says it has committed approximately BWP4 million towards course fees, with more than 1,000 Batswana having graduated over the past three years.
Applicants for local bursaries and theory courses must be Botswana citizens, have completed at least Form Five and provide a police clearance certificate. Practical training fees will also be subsidised for Batswana, helping to make specialised diamond skills more accessible locally.
Beyond rough diamond evaluation, the centre plans to introduce practical courses in diamond grading and polishing, extending training across key stages of the diamond value chain. These programmes aim to equip participants with skills they can use to pursue employment in the industry or develop their own businesses.
The practical courses will target participants from across Africa, particularly the Southern African Development Community region, while remaining open to international applicants. The ambition is to attract trainees to Botswana and establish the facility as a regional resource for specialised diamond education.
The Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Training School has trained participants from countries including Namibia, South Africa and Angola, as well as personnel from mining companies such as Petra and Lucara. Through its partnership with Stargems, this experience is being brought closer to prospective trainees in Botswana and the wider region.
The partnership forms part of Stargems’ broader effort to expand access to diamond knowledge and practical skills in a country whose economy is closely linked to the industry. Its long-term ambition is to help establish Botswana as a hub for diamond expertise, developing people who can participate in more stages of the value chain.
The media tour provided a first-hand look at the facility’s equipment, training environment and practical sessions, demonstrating how students move from theoretical learning to working directly with natural diamonds.
