Darren Race, managing director of e4 Learning Solutions, in County Durham and North Yorkshire, and chairman of South Durham Business Network and South Durham Engineering and Manufacturing Forum

Darren Race doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet.

As well as being managing director of e4 Learning Solutions Ltd, which has offices in County Durham and North Yorkshire, he is chairman of South Durham Business Network (SDBN) and South Durham Engineering and Manufacturing Forum (SDEMF).

Although e4 takes up most of his time, his forum interest means he’s also a key figure in the organisation of Durham Oktoberfest, the region’s premier engineering and manufacturing exhibition, which takes place at the Xcel Centre, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, on Thursday, October 17.

Durham Oktoberfest is organised by County Durham’s three engineering forums, North Durham, East Durham and South Durham Engineering and Manufacturing Forum.

The event is in its sixth year with 120 exhibitors already booked and an expected 1,500 visitors on the day.

Mr Race said: “It's great to see engineering and manufacturing companies from across the North-East out in force, celebrating and promoting engineering and manufacturing excellence in the region, and I am pleased to be a part of that.”

His interest in the engineering and manufacturing sectors comes from his working background.

He held positions at Nissan, which has a plant in Sunderland, Fujitsu and Filtronic, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, Black and Decker, which had a site near Spennymoor, County Durham, and Semta, before moving to e4 Learning Solutions.

He said: “While I was at Fujitsu, I moved into a training role and when at Filtronic was appointed the global director of education and training.

“But the interest in training is a direct consequence of my personal training when I did an engineering apprenticeship with the NHS in 1983, working for Bishop Auckland Hospital. “That made me realise how important good training is.”

His business priority is nurturing the growth of e4 Learning Solutions Ltd, while juggling and supporting SDBN and SDEMF.

His passion is based on helping employees maximise their potential through good quality training and development, in turn transforming the performance of the organisations and companies for which they work.

He said: “e4 aims to help organisations establish, monitor and improve their current capability, by understanding the range and depth of skills, knowledge and competency within their organisation.

“Once this picture is clear, we can then work together to shape interventions and support to improve the capability of the operation.

“Better skills, better results.”

e4 has developed an online competency, compliance and performance management system called SkillStation, which is now deployed across more than 42 countries and in numerous sectors such as oil and gas, rail, automotive, aerospace and financial services.

He said: “The average recruitment cost of filling a vacancy per employee is £4,333, increasing to £7,750 when organisations also calculate the associated labour turnover costs.

“The average cost to recruit a senior manager or director is £21,000 and can take on average 16 weeks.

“SkillStation can be used to identify the talent already within an organisation, and avoid huge recruitment costs.”

e4 itself is also taking a step further along the development road.

He said: “We are currently focused on re-branding in order to maximise our potential and accelerate our growth further.

“This has been a really interesting process, which has involved the Design Council, a fantastic organisation which has supported our selection of a design company to work with us to deliver our own transformation."

Five minutes with Darren Race

Favourite North East building and why? Wynyard Hall Country House, near Billingham, as this is where I am getting married next year to a beautiful woman and fantastic mum to our son Harvey.

What was your first job and how much did you get paid? I was an engineering apprentice for Bishop Auckland Hospital. My first wage was £33 per week.

What is the worst job you have had? Without doubt, it was potato picking when I was at school to make extra pocket money.

All day on your knees in a wet field in a frosty October morning picking thousands of potatoes every day is not the best way to make a few pounds.

What would you cook for me if I came around for dinner? My partner now cooks more than me but if I had to cook it would be something like chicken kung-po. I used to make this regularly, so regularly we don’t have it anymore.

What would your superpower be? Teleporting, so I could get from A to B in a flash. I hate driving so it would be great to just get to my destination and back without the tedium. And wouldn’t holidays be so much better if you could travel there and back in an instant?

Name four people, dead or alive, who would be at your perfect dinner party? Sylvester Stallone, because I love the Rocky films; Nigella Lawson, so she could cook for us; Simon Cowell, just to see what he is really like, and Jennifer Aniston. Not sure why I chose her.

Most expensive thing you’ve bought – other than your car or house – and how much? Victoria’s engagement ring. But it would be wrong to tell you how much.

Who is the best person to follow on Twitter and why? I tend to follow people more from a business perspective so not really sure who the best would be.

I try to keep up with everything which is going on in the relevant business communities and believe social media can be a very useful tool if used wisely.

Favourite book? Actually, I don’t enjoy reading. I have to read so many emails and work related material that reading is not really a pleasurable experience.

When did you last cry? A sore point, as I didn’t cry when our son was born and Victoria has never let me forget it.

That doesn’t mean it wasn’t emotional though. I was, however, starving by the time it was all over.

What is your greatest achievement? Meeting my partner Victoria and the birth of our son Harvey.

I know that sounds cheesy and a bit of a cliché but it’s true.

What is the best piece of advice in business you have ever been given? Cash flow is King, which has been proven to be true and important so many times in my business development.

Favourite animal and why? Silver Back Gorilla. It is such a majestic and powerful animal.

Most famous person on your mobile phone? I have more than 1,000 contacts on my phone, critical to my business.

But no one famous unfortunately.

What was the last band you saw live? Take That at Sunderland's Stadium of Light.

They were really amazing and it was a fantastic experience.

Describe your perfect night in? A good meal with my family, a good bottle of red wine and a family film.

In another life I would be… I really struggled with this, came back to it several times and drew a blank each time.

It’s probably because I actually really enjoy the life I have.

Who would play you in a film of your life? Tom Cruise because he is also vertically challenged.

What irritates you? Laziness.

What is your secret talent? I enjoy windsurfing but only find time to do this when on holiday.