THE FIRST ever cohort of students have been welcomed today at Dyson’s brand new institute of engineering and technology in Malmesbury.

More than 850 young people applied but only 33 undergraduate engineers have been accepted on to the four year degree, which is being held in conjunction with the University of Warwick.

As part of the course, the fees of which is being funded entirely by Dyson, the students will be mentored by practicing scientists and engineers and have a full-time salaried job giving them hands on experience while they complete their Bachelor of Engineering studies.

Dyson has also committed £22 million towards building specially designed accommodation, complete with a library, café, bar and shop; the students will also enjoy all the benefits of working at the state-of-the-art Malmesbury campus.

James Dyson said: “Britain suffers from an acute lack of engineering graduates which is threatening science, technology and engineering.

“Dyson’s undergraduate engineers will develop new technology alongside world-leading engineering practitioners, creating real products that end up in homes around the world and all alongside their academic work.

“I am looking forward to seeing what exceptional things they achieve over the next four years and hope they will want to work at Dyson for many years to come.”

Some of the students who were accepted to study at Dyson declined offers from top universities, including the University of Cambridge.

Alex Pilkington, one of the institute's first students, said: "I love how much practical experience is involved as, typically, before a degree you focus on what degree to get, and after your degree you start to think about what work experience you can get to help you find a job."

Another student, Brynley Smith, said: "Dyson stood out for me as it’s something completely different.

"Working on real projects greatly appeals to me, as you can study and work without ending up with loads of student debt.”

Fresher Sophie Bloodworth, said: “With practical courses like engineering, it’s vital to get experience in the industry whilst learning, so that you can apply the skills you’ve acquired straight away.

"I’ve always appreciated how much importance Dyson places on innovation, and I’m also interested in the design aspect of engineering, so it’s refreshing to hear about how much product development is going on."

Applications for next year's entry are now open, for more information go to dysoninstitute.com