Twelve postgraduate students from across the nation took part in a world-leading and unique programme which offers a fully-funded opportunity to compete in a team event modelled on the BBC TV series ‘The Apprentice’.

Teams were assigned tasks by a panel of experts drawn from the worlds of academia, heritage, business, and tourism.  They tackled specific challenges associated with Cu@Swansea, an exciting, heritage-led regeneration project focused on the site of the former Hafod-Morfa Copperworks in the Lower Swansea Valley.  

The winning team. pictured with mentor Lesley Hulonce (centre), was Lucy Street (Bath Spa University), Will Rathouse (University of Wales, Trinity Saint David), Jahyun Jang (Warwick University), and Jared Bowers (Newcastle University).

The title of their winning project was ‘Hafod Morfa Ecomuseum: Embracing the past while developing for the future’.

Expertise and mentoring will be provided by representatives from distinguished heritage and professional organisations as well as Swansea-based academics. The programme offers opportunities to bolster employability credentials and gain the transferable skills and experience currently in demand in the heritage and tourism sectors.  

‘The Heritage Apprentice’ forms part of the AHRC-funded Heritage Skills programme and is hosted by Swansea University’s Graduate Centre for Arts and Humanities.

Further information on the Cu@Swansea project go to: www.welshcopper.org.uk.