Waldo Jewelers provides rare apprenticeship opportunity to high school

Story by Sarah Pope

When Michael Marentes was a high school student at Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village, Kan., he wasn’t thinking about his future career. He enrolled in an art metals class as part of the district’s technical curriculum and within a few years, he realized that his foundations in high school set him up for a successful career—and now he and his business partner are reaching back to help other students. 

Marentes, who graduated from high school in 1997, joined forces with 2004 SME graduate Jeffrey Penland, to open Waldo Jewelers in 2010. The full service jewelry shop specializes in custom bridal designs making all of their pieces in-house. Because of the specialized and technical work required to run a business like this one, Marentes and Penland recognized the need for a talent pipeline if they want their business to continue growing. And where better to look than their alma mater? 

“By getting a kid from that school, we know what they know,” Marentes said. “At least I know the training they’ve had. I can build a business on that.”

Enter Zella Dodge, 16, a sophomore at Shawnee Mission East. She is the first student to be hired for the paid training position at Waldo Jewelry. Dodge, who possesses almost boundless energy, has an interest in art and jewelry making, but also physical science, math, physics and law. 

“My parents are big about receiving knowledge, taking it in and preparing for the real world when you have a teacher who can help you,” she said.

Dodge started her job at Waldo Jewelry in October with odd jobs like getting coffee. Before long she was cleaning jewelry and sorting gemstones. 

“Little Zella at 16 doing things at the diamond lens,” Marentes mused. 

It was tedious at first for Dodge to sort the gemstones, but slowly she began to appreciate the work. 

“It’s fun to see the kids of stones—the shapes, sizes,” Dodge said. “I learn about … how they are priced.” 

Whether this is her career path is still a question—she’s only 16, after all. 

“I’m leaning toward it,” she said. “I’m taking art and (working at Waldo Jewelry) is so much fun—it’s not sitting around. It’s a hands-on experience.”

Dodge will take a jewelry class in her next academic year and she’s looking forward to the creative freedom returning students enjoy.

“It’s a boost, I’m not just walking in here (clueless), I know something about this art,” she said. “This is hands-on art and this is what I like.”

Marentes has just the school in mind for Dodge to attend post-graduation if she chooses, Texas Institute of Jewelry at Paris Junior College in Paris, Tex. Marentes completed his education there, along with two other team members at the store. 

Dodge is open to the idea if she decides to pursue a career in jewelry.

“If I didn’t have this path, what would I be doing?” she said. “Room, board, text books, it’s all a lot. Thinking about a two-year program in a tiny town in Texas and then I come back to Kansas City to have a job I love?”

None of the store’s team members have a four-year college degree, explained Bridget Morrison, who takes a lead on marketing, yet they are all successful working in a field they love. Each employee gained their skills from high school vocational programs, two-year community colleges or a mixture of both.

“I feel like we have magic here,” she said. “I love coming to work and the technical programs in schools are crucial. It’s not just our industry but others (that benefit). We get to come to work every day and be creative. We listen to rock music and make a profit.”

Marentes highlighted the low turnover and waitlist of applicants for job openings. But it’s the specialized technical skills he is looking for that are hard to find. These include the ability to work with not only raw gold, but the much more finicky platinum; alloying metals; using computer-aided design (CAD) software; understanding how to use 3-D printers; in addition to the science needed to understand how to heat and cast pieces.

“There is no formal (standard of training) in this industry,” Marentes said. “Different programs aren’t the same.”

Regardless of whether Dodge, the eager apprentice, pursues a career in jewelry, she has already learned to appreciate the artistry that goes into making it.

“Everything (we sell) is custom to what you like,” she said. “Shop local and support local artists that put time and effort into your piece. It’s just a better environment than a mall or random store.”