NMITE graduates?find jobs in local aerospace and defence
The?New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE)??celebrated the achievements of its?second?cohort?of 20 students?at Hereford Cathedral on 9th May, who graduated with either a BEng (Hons) or MEng (Hons) Integrated Engineering degree, with companies such as Airbus and BAE Systems among those now hiring NMITE graduates, with 100% employment rate for its local students.?
Image courtesy NMITE???
NMITE’s innovative, hands-on learning model?has produced?this new group of?work-ready engineers who?chose a bold new path in engineering education and are set to become the next generation of changemakers, whilst the institute also opens applications for its Autonomous Robotics degree, 'Agile by design'.?
NMITE’s President and Chief Executive?James Newby?said “This, our second graduation ceremony is as important as our inaugural ceremony last year, not least because we see more clearly what NMITE is here to do and what our students are capable of becoming”.?
He?referred to NMITE being created to 'meet the moment', the clearest recent example of which is its new degree in Autonomous Robotics, which may well be one of the fastest-developed degree programmes ever seen in the UK and opened for applications on 30th?April. “By meeting the moment, I mean recognising what the world needs now – and choosing to act on it. For NMITE, that has meant building something different and quickly responding to new technologies and national priorities.”
Addressing the graduating students, Newby added?“You have proved you can solve messy problems with no clear answers. You leave us not just with knowledge but with?judgement,?confidence?and the ability to contribute from day one.??It has been a privilege to watch you become the people you are today.”
Recording another high level of employment and an outstanding 100% for those students originally from Hereford and close by,?Airbus?and?Hitachi Energy?are?two companies which?join the list of prestigious?companies?who are already employing NMITE graduates such as?local Hereford firm Alto Dynamics,?BAE Systems,?Balfour Beatty, Mondelez and Kier.?
Addressing the students, Jesse Norman, Chair of NMITE said “You have shown dedication,?resilience?and imagination in abundance.?You have learned that the task is not merely to understand the world, but to act within it: to change lives for the better, to create enduring value and to take full responsibility for what you make.?In doing so, you have taken NMITE another?important step?forward.?For that, we thank you.”?
Guest speaker, Professor Robert Klitgaard who is University Professor at Claremont Graduate University in California?and also?serves on NMITE’s Academic Advisory Board delivered the keynote speech on the topic of the challenge of AI.?Before coming to Claremont Graduate University GU as President (2005-2009), he was Dean and Ford Distinguished Professor of International Development and Security at the RAND Graduate School, America’s leading PhD programme in policy analysis.?He has worked and done research in more than 40 countries around the world, working with governments, civil society organisations and international institutions.?
Three?awards for outstanding achievement?
At the?Graduation Ceremony?which?took place at Hereford Cathedral at 14:00 on Saturday?9th?May, Professor Richard Lillington, Head of Learning and Teaching,?presented the?academic prize for?highest overall academic achievement for the Bachelor of Engineering in Integrated Engineering?to?Thomas Reese.??
Tom distinguished himself as a proactive leader and dedicated contributor.??Tom was?a Student Ambassador?and the inaugural President of the Outdoor Adventure Society.?He completed a placement year with BMW, gaining valuable industry experience and is now working as a Freelance Consultant and Project Manager.
Also presented by Professor Richard Lillington, the recipient of the?academic prize for highest overall academic achievement for the Master of Engineering in Integrated Engineering?is?Lewis Over.?
Lewis was a?recipient of the Engineer in Hereford Bursary, sponsored by Welsh Water.?His Master’s project connected engineering with humanitarian applications.?He?developed a lightweight robotic system to support medical?logistics?in disaster relief environments, improving the speed, safety and accuracy of supply handling.?He continues his engineering career as a Graduate Engineer at Taylor Lane?UK's timber frame construction specialist, based in Hereford.?
The?President’s Award?is?nominated?by?the?Academic Team.??It?is?made to the student who throughout their?programme?has embodied and exemplified the NMITE values of?Collaboration,?Communication, Creativity,?Curiosity, Grit, Determination and Passion.?Presented by James Newby,?the?recipient?of?the?President’s?Award?for?2026?is?Elyse Marriage.?
As a recipient of the She/Her Bursary, Elyse?demonstrated?creativity, technical skill and a strong commitment to inclusive engineering.??Her Master’s project,?“addressed the?high cost?and limited accessibility of current adaptive equipment for individuals with upper body impairments?participating?in archery. She proposed a more affordable and inclusive alternative for para-archers.?
Elyse is now working as Graduate Transport Engineer at Ramboll UK,?the?global engineering,?architecture?and consultancy company,?where she continues to apply technical capability in a human context.?
Fin Neate, who graduated last year and now works at Mondelez International as a Graduate Engineer, referenced both how NMITE helped prepare her for the world of work “In the fast-paced manufacturing world?I now work in,?my?repeated experience of rapid?project?turnaround at NMITE really did?come in handy… and quickly” as well as giving her view on engineering which is?“often?about calm, calculated risks and impacts but it is also about fierce passion for making the world a safer, fairer and cleaner place for the generations that?follow”.?
Since NMITE first opened its doors?to students?in 2021, it has?demonstrated?how a new model can offer something new to the university system and help young people, to become not just critical thinkers but thinking doers.?Since last year, applications to study at NMITE have increased by 38% and of the offers already made to students, NMITE has seen a 54% increase in firm acceptances.