This year’s graduates from Manchester’s British School of Watchmaking have been praised by WOSTEP for the quality of their study and results.
WOSTEP is a watch school in Switzerland that runs educational programs and further training courses with partners across the world.
BSoW received a highly complimentary report from WOSTEP congratulating the team and students saying: “They were very proud of the quality achieved by the team this year, simply outstanding.”
All eight students graduated following their two year course that saw them producing their own movement as part of their final year studies. Three of them were so accurate they were chronometer-rated with COSC certification.
WOSTEP, which has partnerships with educational establishments around the world, praised BSoW for the quality of its work and strongly commended the team as being one of the strongest school’s in their worldwide network.
Two of the eight students were awarded the highest marks every achieved since they have been recorded over the past 12 years, during which the school has produced 72 graduates.
The UK has faced a constant shortage of qualified watchmakers, so the BSoW provides a vital service and is supported by retail groups and major watchmakers including Watches of Switzerland Group, Beaverbrooks, Berry’s, Boodles, Breitling, Bremont, David M Robinson, G.Collins and Sons, Hettich, Houlden Group, LVMH, Mallory, The National Association of Goldsmiths, Patek Phillipe, Richemont, Rolex, Rudell The Jewellers, Signet and Swatch Group.
In January this year, the school introduced a new 1800 hour course, the first in Europe, which will run in tandem with the standard 3000 hour course.
“We truly believe this is necessary to provide the industry with a choice of the greatly needed courses which are relevant within the industry today. The 2019 session has already seen very strong interest from watch houses and retailers alike,” a spokesperson for BSoW says.