Black Mountains College celebrates first Sustainable Futures graduates
Six students receive inaugural Sustainable Futures degrees, launching community‑focused projects and a £40,000 graduate fund in Mid Wales.
Black Mountains College in Talgarth marked a milestone this summer by awarding its inaugural Sustainable Futures: Arts, Ecology and Systems Change degrees. The ceremony saw six graduates – Benjamin Baggaley, Charlie James, Emily Weston, Forrest Lawrence, Jane Harris and Sarah Reeves – receive their diplomas alongside lecturers Andre Pusey and Rachel Sweetman.
The programme, franchised and awarded by Cardiff Metropolitan University, blends ecology, politics, economics and art into a single interdisciplinary course. Its curriculum is built around practical work, outdoor learning and community‑based projects, reflecting the principles of Wales’ Well‑being of Future Generations Act.
College officials said the degree is designed to equip students with the skills needed to tackle sustainability challenges in local communities, public bodies and private enterprises. Many of the new graduates have chosen to remain in Mid Wales, applying their training to a range of local initiatives.
Charlie James, who previously studied coppicing at the college, secured a lease on a smallholding through the Sarn project with Powys County Council. He now runs the farm with two fellow young people, supplying vegetable boxes to several outlets after a year of community consultation.
“Studying the degree with Black Mountains College helped me to design and build a coherent and practicable path forward in my career that allows me to turn my values into meaningful action.”
James is also set to begin an MSc in Agroforestry this September, further extending his expertise. Emily Weston, a mother of two from Mid Wales, entered the course without previously considering higher education within reach.
During her studies she researched composting and waste systems and is now piloting new processes while weighing offers to pursue a PhD. Benjamin Baggaley, originally from Bristol and a former teaching assistant, focused his final‑year project on corporate practice changes and the “Nature on The Board” movement.
His internship experience helped lay the groundwork for introducing Nature onto the board of Black Mountains College, giving him valuable legal insight. Forrest Lawrence played a key role in establishing the college’s student society, organising workshops, concerts, mini‑festivals and other community events.
He now works as a campaigner for Friends of the River Wye, championing river restoration and public engagement. Jane Harris and Sarah Reeves, the remaining graduates, have also begun applying their interdisciplinary training to local sustainability projects, though details remain under wraps.
To bolster graduate‑led enterprises, the college has created a £40,000 fund supported by an anonymous donor. The fund is open to alumni of the Sustainable Futures degree as well as vocational courses in forestry, coppicing, regenerative horticulture and nature restoration.
Recipients include a native tree nursery, a mushroom‑growing venture, an apple juice and cider‑vinegar co‑operative, a natural balm business and a charcoal enterprise. All five projects are slated to launch in October, providing fresh employment and eco‑friendly products to the region.
College principal Andre Pusey highlighted the importance of linking academic learning with tangible community impact. “Our graduates are already demonstrating how theory can translate into real‑world change, reinforcing the college’s role as a catalyst for sustainable development in the Black Mountains,” he said.
Rachel Sweetman added that the success of the first cohort will inform the expansion of the programme to accommodate growing interest. She noted that the college plans to deepen partnerships with local councils, businesses and environmental NGOs to broaden placement opportunities.
The Sustainable Futures degree reflects a broader national push to embed the Well‑being of Future Generations Act into education and practice. Welsh Government officials have praised the initiative as a model for other institutions seeking to integrate ecological stewardship with creative and economic thinking.
With the inaugural graduates now active in the field, Black Mountains College hopes the momentum will inspire a new generation of sustainability leaders across Wales. Local residents, businesses and policymakers will be watching closely as the funded projects take root later this year.
The college’s commitment to nurturing home‑grown talent aligns with wider regional strategies to retain skilled professionals and boost the rural economy. As the first cohort steps into the workforce, their diverse pathways underscore the versatility of a degree that marries art, science and civic responsibility.