Dyson aims to create more female engineers

ENTREPRENEUR James Dyson plans to boost the number of women attending his privately funded university in an effort to increase the number of female engineers in the UK.

According to figures from Mr Dyson’s company, women account for just 16pc of students studying engineering at undergraduate level in the UK. In addition, less than 10pc of practising engineers in the UK are women.

The number of females working for Dyson is much higher at around 45pc, but Mr Dyson said this is still too low.

The man behind the Dyson vacuum cleaner, bladeless fans and high-powered hair dryers and hand dryers, said he wants half of his workforce to be women. “I think one of the reasons we have a high female intake is because we make practical products.

“I think women like to see a practical outcome of engineering and not just the academic study of it,” Mr Dyson said.

The comments come after the Dyson company recently secured university status for the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology. It offers a four-year programme with academic training provided by the University of Warwick. As part of the course Dyson will cover the tuition fees for the engineering degree. In addition the company will offer students a full salary for the duration of the course. This year over 800 people applied.