“Are there many jobs in the UK for jewellery designers or is it just a waste of a degree?”
I couldn’t possibly answer whether or not any degree is a “waste of a degree” as almost all degrees show a higher level of learning and attainment and demonstrate a number of key transferable skills, regardless of what you have studied. That said, jewellery design is a tough industry, it is incredibly difficult to make it as a freelance jewellery designer and you would need a lot of financial backing. The larger jewellery companies will often go to design fairs to meet new graduates and artists they can take on full time, but it is competitive. My advice is that if you are going to study jewellery design at University, make sure to fully research what course you are going to study and at what institution. The more renowned the degreee, the more chance you have of making it in the jewellery industry.