AS engineering and manufacturing emerges from the downturn, Business Editor Andy Richardson spoke to delegates and exhibitors at Oktoberfest 2014.

FROM apprentices looking for their first job to firms exhibiting products made for blue chip companies, the annual Oktoberfest exhibition at the Xcel Centre on Newton Aycliffe Business Park was abuzz with 140 exhibitors; meet the buyer events, and speeches by Mike Matthews from plastic car parts maker Nifco UK, and Paul Watts of clothing firm AMA.

By mid morning yesterday the grass verges surrounding the centre had become impromtu car parking spaces as hundreds of delegates came to the region's leading engineering and manufacturing showcase.

Students from nearby South West Durham Training sporting t-shirts bearing the message ‘I am your next apprentice’ were going from stand-to-stand pitching themselves to prospective employers.

Trevor Alley, SWDT chief executive, said: “We tried this last year and it was a great success with about half a dozen of our learners securing jobs, and we are hoping for something similar this year. "It is important for them to come to an event such as this to remind them of the opportunities that are out there.”

Kieran Scott, and Jordan Hughes, 16-year-old SWDT students who both live in Spennymoor, were at the event. “We want to be toolmakers and we hope to find work with one of the big firms that are exhibiting here, so this is a great chance for us to tell them what we can do,” said Kieran.

Councillor Neil Foster, Durham County Council's cabinet member for economic regeneration, believed the event was a great showcase for the region, and he hoped it would act as a reminder to young people that there are jobs and training opportunities across the region.

Alan Roberts, managing director of C and A Pumps and Engineering, in Hartlepool, said his firm has taken a stand to keep up the company's profile. "Where it leads you never know but it is always worthwhile making new contacts,” he said.

Peter Coates, who heads Aycliffe's DPE Automotive and its sister business Durham Precision Engineering, was using the event to let people see the vast range of specialist items the businesses make. Earlier this week, DPE Automotive confirmed a management buy-out had saved 100 jobs and set the firm on course for growth and investment.

Mr Coates, was standing in front of a table covered with parts including teabag makers used by manufacturing behemoth Tata Global Beverages at its Eaglescliffe plant. He said: “Two years ago we didn’t export outside of County Durham and now we have deals with global manufacturers. You can see greater confidence in the industry. We are aiming to be one of the region’s success stories, but we are by no means the only one.”

Dr Simon Goon, managing director of Business Durham, said: “An event like this just serves to remind you of the truly staggering array of products, talent and skills in Durman the wider North-East. Our challenge now is to find a way to help it become more than the sum of its parts because we have an amazing story to tell.”