A £10M engineering centre of excellence is doubling its workforce to build on a successful first year, The Northern Echo can reveal.

The South Durham University Technical College (UTC) expects to have in excess of 50 staff when its new term begins in September.

The update comes after the site, based in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, last week celebrated its first 12 months in operation by officially opening a Hitachi Rail engineering hall and Gestamp robotics area.

The UTC aims to nurture the next generation of workers across the engineering and manufacturing sectors by providing education for youngsters aged between 14 and 19 in a business environment, which complements traditional core subjects with practical industry-based opportunities.

Tom Dower, principal, told the Echo that the base needed extra staff to cater for its growing pupil intake, which is expected to rise to around 350 in September when another 200 youngsters join.

He said: “We are more than doubling our staff and are filling up big time, which is a good problem to have.

“We have about 25 staff and are going to go over 50 next year.”

The UTC sits near Hitachi Rail Europe’s trainbuilding plant and is led by the University of Sunderland alongside Hitachi and nearby car chassis maker Gestamp Tallent, which have both allowed graduates and apprentices to help pupils with hands-on activities during their studies.

The UTC recently played host to a County Durham Engineering and Manufacturing Network dinner, which heard from speakers on the challenges of addressing the skills gap.