WORK has officially started on a £10m North-East engineering centre of excellence.

Contractors have broken ground on the site of the South Durham University Technical College (UTC), in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

The centre will train thousands of youngsters in engineering and advanced manufacturing skills, and is due to open in September next year.

It will be led by principal and former ICI chartered engineer Tom Dower.

Designed by Newcastle-based Ryder Architecture, the UTC will stand close to Hitachi Rail Europe’s £82m 730-job train building factory.

Approved by the Government last year, the UTC is led by the University of Sunderland, with support from Hitachi and Aycliffe-based car parts maker Gestamp Tallent and backing from the Department for Education as a state-funded but independent school.

Officials say it will help plug a regional skills gap, with the area expected to lose up to 8,500 engineers to retirement by next year.

Mr Dower, a former Cambridge University engineering graduate, who was previously vice-principal at Ashington High School, in Northumberland, said: “I’m thrilled to see work is now underway.

“The UTC will specialise in advanced manufacturing and engineering, sectors which are vital to the future of the region and ones we have marked skills gaps in.”

The UTC will focus on teaching science, technology, engineering and maths to youngsters aged between 14 and 19-years-old, who will gain technical qualifications in a business environment.

Applications for entry into Year Ten and Year 12 are now open for the first wave of students, who will start next year.

Peter Gallone, plant direct at car chassis maker Gestamp Tallent, said the UTC will be pivotal to the future of its workforce, as well as the labour force of surrounding companies.

He said: “We are keen to support the development of the UTC.

“We rely on people and it is crucial they have the right skills.

“The UTC will give future generations the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the career options available in our industry, as well as giving them the opportunity to learn key skills from an early age.”

In a document previously seen by The Northern Echo, students between 14 and 16-years-old will have their studies split in two, with 60 per cent of work focusing on core subjects, such as maths, science and English, and 40 per cent on technical subjects.

For learners over 16, the divide will change, with 60 per cent devoted to level three (A-Level and Btec) studies in chosen technical areas and maths, with further potential for some to do extra A-levels.

The UTC aims to take on up to 240 pupils in its first year, made up of 120 Year Ten and 120 Year 12 pupils.

That number is expected to swell to 540 in the 2017/2018 school year, including 300 year ten and year 12 pupils and 240 year 11 and year 13 students, and 600 in 2018/2019, with 150 youngsters across every group.