The Heritage Skills Programme, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and led by the Research Institute for Arts and Humanities (RIAH) at Swansea University, has engaged research students in a range of work placement opportunities with international heritage organisations.

Students have undertaken placements with a number of partners including the National Waterfront Museum, Blaenavon World Heritage Site and the Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust.

Several research students also had the opportunity to complete internships at the South Asasif Conservation Project in Egypt. Part of the 'Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis' UNESCO World Heritage Site, the focus of the project, directed by Dr Elena Pischikova, is the rediscovery of three temple tombs from Egypt's 25-26th dynasties.

The Heritage Skills Programme also offered an opportunity for postgraduate researchers from across the UK to take part in an innovative 'Heritage Apprentice Programme' - modelled on the popular BBC TV series.

Under the guidance of Professor Huw Bowen, successful applicants had to complete a series of challenging tasks associated with the CU@Swansea project, an exciting heritage-led regeneration project focused on the site of the former Hafod-Morfa Copperworks in the Lower Swansea Valley. 

Teams were assigned a brief by a panel of experts drawn from the worlds of academia, heritage, business, and tourism; and the winning team has been ‘hired’ to undertake a work placement with Professor Bowen at Swansea University in August 2013.

Materials on display at the National Waterfront Museum will include images captured by the students whilst on placement as well as descriptions of their activities and the transferable skills gained through their experiences. The exhibition will be open to the public for 2 weeks from August 6– 18 (10am – 5pm daily), in the main foyer and reception area of the Museum.

Deputy Director of the Research Institute for Arts and Humanities (RIAH), Dr Elaine Canning said, “The exhibition at the National Waterfront Museum provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and showcase the achievements of our postgraduate researchers. Thanks to funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), we have developed a highly successful and innovative heritage-themed programme through which students have bolstered employability credentials  and networking experience  in the heritage sector and are learning to engage effectively with the impact and knowledge exchange agendas.”

For more information on the AHRC-funded Heritage Skills Programme please contact Kate Spiller, Project Co-ordinator: k.spiller@swansea.ac.uk