Student stories

I could not pass the opportunity to get involved in such a dynamic and innovative company. The fact that the programme is so new meant that I would be able to shape my own and future years' experiences, in a way that could not be achieved with older and more traditional higher education institutions.

Moving away from home for the first time was an exciting, but slightly nerve-wracking experience! The process of moving out will inevitably be unfamiliar to all students, but the transition was made much smoother by the friendliness and inclusiveness of the undergraduate community and the Institute team. There were various pre-joining events which allowed our cohort to bond before starting in September. The student support is also of a really high standard. We all have regular meetings with Institute team members in which we are encouraged to share thoughts, concerns, feedback and questions. In addition to this, the Institute team are always ready to go out of their way to improve our experience, and to make sure we are thriving.

When I was studying towards my A Levels I was considering going to university in the UK including Oxbridge, applying to US scholarships, and UK based degree apprenticeships. However, I chose to come to the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology because it offered me a top degree while working on real engineering projects - and I get paid while doing it which takes the pressure off my parents to support me. I feel I can have more impact and learn more here than studying at a traditional university.

The biggest surprise was the amount of responsibility I received from day one. We all work hard but in return, we get to be involved with lots of really exciting projects and activities. Responsibility doesn't equal stress. I feel like I can contribute a lot already without feeling overwhelmed. Student support is exceptional. The wellbeing days are unique and they show that Dyson is passionate about student wellbeing. Regular catch-up sessions with our cohort's support staff are great to help work out any issues and a great opportunity for self-refection.

My plan was to go to university to study mechanical engineering. But before this I wanted to take a gap year where I would travel then work a few months in the engineering industry. However, the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology was an eye opener into the world of engineering. It was an opportunity for me to explore what engineering meant to me and where I wanted to take my skills to in the future.

As first year progressed and people came out of their shell, student life proved to be very unique. We may not go out quite as much as students at other universities, but we do know how to have a good time when we do! Although I found it hard living in the Malmesbury countryside, especially since I moved from a large city, after my first year I decided to move into Bristol and the student life has been amazing. The Dyson bus service also allows me to commute into Malmesbury every day with ease.

The biggest surprise about the Dyson Institute is how friendly the culture is. The staff treat us more like friends than anything else which makes communication easy and comfortable. I was worried about entering a workplace where everyone was an expert in their field. However, I found that Dyson is such a young company so it is very easy to get along with people and find things in common. It is easy to contact colleagues at work which has allowed me to build a fantastic network. Furthermore, student support is exceptional here - whatever problem you have there is a person to help you. Even if you do not have a direct problem there are staff who ensure your well-being is at top form. The coaching from the staff is personal too which you just wouldn't get at a regular university. We really put mental health first at Dyson and it shows

Growing up in the North East of England in our lower years at secondary school I remember having a talk promoting engineering as a career saying there is a ‘shortage of engineers in the UK, especially in the North East’. So, I started sixth form and applied for traditional universities and had firmed my place for Durham University and was set on that route. I had noticed a few apprenticeships that had come up through decent universities like Exeter and other very prestigious schemes such as Rolls Royce, but nothing to deter me from going to Durham until I found the the Dyson Institute degree apprenticeship. I had to apply straight away.

As well as offering a top engineering degree, the other attractive idea was that you are not missing out on the social aspect of meeting new young people. Unlike other apprenticeships where you might be just one of a few apprentices and not have an integrated programme on one site, the Dyson Institute take on a new cohort each year who all live in the ‘student accommodation’ pods in the first year. Living in the Dyson Village is very good, it is a social place to live in being around fellow students. The communal kitchens are a good social space in particular. In my kitchen, we share out the cooking so one or a pair cook each day of the week which not only saves so much time not having to cook every day but we all get to eat together every evening. From my experience, the facilities are much better than typical university accommodation for the price you pay - not only are the rooms larger but it is essentially all brand new.

I was excited to move to England or Scotland to study at a University in a big City. Product Design Engineering in particular appealed to me, with Glasgow being my UCAS first choice. It wasn't until after I applied through UCAS that I heard about degree apprenticeships. I decided on the Dyson Institute after a good deal of deliberation. While the social and sports aspects of a big university appealed to me, here I receive a salary, pay no tuition fees, and experience something that no other institution could rival. I planned ways of compromising for the things I might miss out on, such as joining local sports teams and moving to Bristol in my second year.

I was surprised to find that the students were so varied. Many, like me, hadn't done any engineering previously and I was pleased to meet others (in such a small cohort) who had similar hobbies like art or hockey. Also, with a dedicated social team and funding, I found social life here to be packed, with a really good variety of stuff to do. I then moved out to Bristol where I'd go out most weekends, but also stay after work in Malmesbury some evenings for events such as a table quiz or art session organised by our student body.

I also expected work to be impossible. But while the workplace is challenging, it's really satisfying when you can contribute to real projects. I've picked up so many other skills in the workplace too that I hadn't considered before, and think I'll be really confident going into other jobs in the future.

Student life at the Dyson Institute is constantly changing. As there are small cohorts at the Institute compared to a traditional university, there is plenty of opportunity to set up a club or society of your own. Being part of the third cohort to join the institute, there are already a variety of clubs that have been setup and with more cohorts joining in the future the number of clubs and societies will only grow.

When I first joined, I was concerned about programming as I didn't have any programming experience. However, it is incorporated into the other subjects such as the maths coursework and therefore you learn to pick it up quite quickly. While a whole lecture day can be full on, the study days are great as they allow you to go over the material from the lecture. The lectures are also recorded which means you can go back and look at anything which was unclear at the time.

I almost fell into the trap of going to a traditional university just because every single person from my sixth form applied. All my university offers were for Mechanical Engineering, but after two years of the work rotations here, I was able to realise that I don't even like mechanics! Also, the class sizes are much smaller than university class sizes. As someone who learns better by asking questions and engaging in smaller group discussions, this course is very suitable. The lecturer can focus on students more as the groups are smaller. At the same time, the workplace is the best place to grow and develop as a world-class engineer. The workplace helps me to solidify my theory knowledge from lectures the very next day! I can implement what I learn and if I'm stuck, I can just ask the Principle Engineer sat next to me, who has been doing this for over 10 years. As the Dyson Institute is generally a much smaller institute, I can make a greater impact as an individual.

I found relocating scary at first as I was travelling over 260 miles away from home and would be hours away from family and friends. However, I quickly found that I really enjoyed being surrounded by similar people who share an interest in Engineering. Dyson Village is also a really exciting place to live! Not only is there state-of-the-art accommodation (a lot nicer than my friends' university rooms!), but having such small cohorts makes it feel like a real community where you know everyone.

I thought that I would be treated as someone who wasn't as valuable as the rest of the team in the workplace, but instead I have found that I have been given real issues to solve and given the same responsibilities as anyone else in my team. I feel like I am respected in my team and treated as an equal.

I always wanted to go into engineering and was looking for a really hands on university course with lots of application to real life. I quickly ruled out traditional degrees and Oxbridge due to the courses being quite old fashioned and lacking in a practical application. The Institute has a really good balance of practical application in the workplace while still having a solid theoretical grounding which comes with a traditional degree.

Malmesbury was a big change from London, but with the weekends so free of work it is easy to explore the surrounding areas, both within the Cotswold and further. Whilst it is hard work, we also try to have fun. The financial freedom compared to other students as well as free weekends allows us to have more experiences. The year groups are very broad in terms of why people came to the institute and what they aim to do after the institute. Yes, everyone shares the common interest of engineering, but there are so many different angles of approaching the same interest.