THE first cohort of students from Hereford's New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) has successfully entered the workforce.

The graduates have secured impressive positions in industry at Balfour Beatty, KIER, Mondelēz International and Oakwrights, an NMITE spokesperson said.

NMITE’s president and chief executive, James Newby, said: "Our first cohort of graduates represents the culmination of years of dedication and innovation in engineering education.

"Their success is a testament to NMITE’s academic rigour and unique learning model, which emphasises practical experience, problem-solving skills, and close collaboration with industry partners.

"Our students were willing to accept the challenge of joining a new institution and they, like our staff, have worked incredibly hard to turn our model into a reality.  With the first NMITE graduates out in work, we’re sure our reputation and influence will continue to grow.”

Tom Newton, engineering and design director at Balfour Beatty, said: “This is an incredibly proud moment for everyone at Balfour Beatty. Over the last twelve months we have actively contributed to the NMITE curriculum through our partnership, with a number of our experts supporting teaching modules, outlining what it takes to work in our industry.”

NMITE opened its doors to its first 27 students in September 2021, who embarked on the only accelerated MEng degree in the UK, with an aim to get engineers into the workplace sooner, and with less debt.