Undergraduate Engineer Review

I work as an engineer in RDD (research, design and development). I work on live projects and as part of a wider team in the "New Product Innovation" category- this means I am doing radical innovation design. For me, there is a lot of sketching, CAD, analysis of test results, rig building and most importantly problem solving.

I have got much better at: CAD, data analysis, time management, planning organisation and prioritisation of my work load, team working, presenting. This list is endless really.

I enjoy everything about this program- expect of the university part. The workplace (3 days a week) is fantastic, the student support and Dyson institute team are incredible. However, the degree we are doing is incredibly difficult to fit into 2 days a week. I will regularly finish work and then do 5-6 hours of university study on top and it can get very overwhelming at times. If it wasn't for the incredible staff and support available, I'm not sure I would have made it this far (currently in my third year).

Sometimes the organisation of the program can be a little all over the place. Organisation internally is generally quite good and if something is unclear, I know I can just go and speak to someone and it will get resolved. I think most of the organisation issues come from communication breakdowns between Dyson and WMG (University of Warwick).

The support is absolutely incredible. In my team, I am treated like an equal, but also I'm constantly reminded by my line manager that I am in the workplace to learn and develop, not necessarily produce outcomes for the team. This approach I believe is quite unique- the entire course is treated as a learning opportunity, rather than being an extra body in a team. From a wellbeing perspective, each year has a student support adviser who we each have monthly 1:1's with. We can discuss anything, ranging from struggles with the course, struggles at home, relationship issues, professional development and career plans etc etc. The student support advisers do a great job at helping us get through the course.

Warwick provide some support, however Dyson do so much of it that Warwick don't really need to do much. Most lecturers are quick to respond to questions.

Sometimes a module will line up really well with the workplace- for example I am currently studying an acoustics module and some of the principles have been useful at work. However I feel lots of the modules take a very mathematical and academic approach to engineering, whereas it would be useful to study things that can actually be applied to real life engineering work.

At work, there are a decent number of team socials to get involved with. Within the dyson institute undergraduate community there are tonnes of clubs/events to get involved with too. There are also some wider dyson clubs- eg dyson gaming.

Yes

The staff really care about giving you an excellent learning experience. They genuinely care about your wellbeing. Despite the course being incredibly challenging, I would wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone willing to work hard. The opportunities that come off the back of being an undergraduate at the dyson institute are incredible.

1. Figure out if you can hack it. This course is incredibly challenging and if you aren't 100% you want to do engineering or want to enjoy a student lifestyle, this is not the course for you. 2. Research Dyson beforehand. My experience is that Dyson tend to pride themselves on being radical innovators and thinking differently to find a unique solution to a everyday problems. If you feel like you can relate to their mission, absolutely tell your interviewers about it!