While Dyson is keen to take on 3,000 more engineers and designers, the firm has also expressed concern at the shortfall of engineers in the UK and that it may be impossible to recruit such numbers.

“Britain has an acute shortage of engineers which threatens our ability to compete,” a spokesman said.

“We will only be able to recruit these engineers if the government provides significant support to encourage more young people into engineering.

“Dyson engineers are working on a technology pipeline that stretches out 25 years – we think long term to plan for the future.

“That demands highly skilled bright engineers, which we will recruit both regionally and nationally.

"We’ll need bright young minds immediately – and we’ll need a steady supply as Dyson grows.

“We will be looking to recruit 400 engineers and scientists to our Wiltshire research and design base this year.”

At present it has 1,700 staff on site; it had 48 new starters last week and takes on about 20 to 30 recruits a month.

Dyson recruits engineers from all major universities, looking for a variety of engineering disciplines from mechanical and acoustic to robotic engineering.

The firm also supports young inventors through the James Dyson Foundation, which works with numerous schools with the aim of raising the standard of teaching in design and technology.