Undergraduate Engineer Review

For 2 days a week, degree apprentices work on the degree side of their job, meaning either doing coursework, self-study or attending lectures from WMG (Warwick Manufacturing Group). The other 3 days are typically spent in the workplace (there are some exceptions), working within Dyson team in Research and Development on future products that may or may not make it onto shelves. The company is big enough that I believe there is a role suitable for anyone with a keen interest in engineering.

I'm always learning and developing, and I think the key thing to bear in mind is that engineers will always be learning as technology advances, and experience is often not as useful as you think. The apprenticeship course is a really useful way of quantifying and analysing the progress made over the duration of work and study. You're treated as an engineer, an employee of Dyson, an apprentice and a student, and throughout the week you're developing skills associated with each one.

It's a very enriching programme, which I think is a perfect way to get into the engineering industry. If you have a passion for engineering or product design then you'll enjoy the programme. It's not all work and study though, the growing student/apprentice presence in the company means there is a growing social body organising societies, events and trips for you to become a part of in your spare time.

A lot of thought has gone into the structure of the programme, and how to avoid really extreme busy parts of the year. This is always improving as well, and since the programme is still very young there is constant development happening, and it's an exciting opportunity to have your say on the course and give feedback for improvements

The support from Dyson/Dyson Institute is very good, and very encompassing. The investment into the programme is very impressive and is building all the time. There's a range of people to talk to about concerns for any aspect of the course: whether it's work study or general wellbeing.

Since all the degree modules are taught either online or in Dyson learning spaces, it can sometimes seem that WMG are quite absent. However, this is not the case and there is always support available. The course is going through a change from WMG providing the degree, to the Dyson Institute awarding it themselves, and the wealth of support, staff and investment means the course is only improving.

A positive side of doing an apprenticeship like this one is that you can learn something through your training one day, and then see how it has been applied on a real product the following day. However this goes both ways, and lessons learnt in the workplace can sometimes help your learning with the degree modules.

There is an ever-growing network of Dyson wide events, as well as specifically Dyson Institute events, to the point where there is now a good number of societies to join, and trips to organise or become a part of. I personally play in the Institute's football team, set up by two apprentices. Be aware the the extent of extra-curricular activity probably won't be as good as that of a university with many, many more students.

Yes

I remember comparing this degree apprenticeship to those from other big companies, and I remember thinking that this one looked the most comprehensive, with a good wage, accompanied by a good level of learning and real-world experience, and a growing student body. I still feel this is still the case, and it's always growing and improving, being very different to how it was when I first joined (which was only a year and a half ago).

Do lots of research and try to figure out if you're looking for an applied course with lots of experience in industry from the start. Some may still prefer the flexibility and diversity that a university can provide in terms of opportunities for industrial placements, more vibrant student life and larger choice of societies. For me, the excitement of working from day 1 on real projects outweighed those points, and I've found that the student experience is still really good. Wiltshire and the Cotswolds are great areas to explore, but those used to the city life may find this a big change; some students choose to live in Bristol which is around 30-45 minutes from the main Dyson campuses.