Sir James Dyson has called for foreign engineering and science students to be guaranteed visas after completing university courses to address the UK’s skills shortage.
One-third of all students studying engineering and technology subjects were international in 2014-15, according to Hesa, a higher education data provider.
“I would like them to feel they would be guaranteed a visa at the end of their training. I think we can do some very simple things to considerably increase the number of British engineers and keep that talent in Britain,” the inventor said.
“It seems unfortunate to train up those people, do that research here in Britain then for us not to allow them to stay or not make them feel welcome so they go back and compete against us”.
The comments came as his eponymous company announced it would open an educational institute teaching engineering degrees at its Wiltshire headquarters from September. Academic learning will initially be provided by the University of Warwick alongside hands-on work at the business.
Sir James will invest £15m into the initiative over five years, with the aim of eventually gaining full university status.
The inventor was one of the most prominent business leaders in favour of leaving the EU. Asked whether he had concerns that Brexit might shrink the pool of available talent, he said: “I don’t think so — partly because we will be asking for engineers and scientists to be rated specially [under immigration rules].”
Known for its bagless vacuum cleaners, Dyson has branched out into other products such as air filters and lighting and is investing in robotics, battery technology and artificial intelligence.
Dyson’s four-year degree programme will involve one day a week in a classroom and four days on R&D projects at its Wiltshire facility, which recently underwent a £250m expansion. The company wants to double its engineering staff, currently 3,000 globally, by 2020.
Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, chairman of Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick, said: “It is vital that in order for UK companies to be competitive they must have the right people with the right skills. I am delighted we are working with the Dyson Institute on this degree.”
According to analysis by Engineering UK, the country faces a shortfall of around 69,000 advanced technicians and engineers a year.
Sir James has been a vocal proponent of the need to promote innovation and research in the UK, despite moving his manufacturing operations to Malaysia several years ago.
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