Octric Semiconductors UK invests in the future with South West Durham Training apprenticeship partnership

Octric Semiconductors UK and South West Durham Training launch a new apprenticeship partnership, giving local young people opportunities in advanced engineering.

Richard Wright (Senior Business Development Adviser at SWDT), Jonathan Hall (SWDT managing director), Alan Strickland MP for Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor, Anne-Marie Chiswell (Bishop Auckland College’s assistant principal), Evan Porter, Sam Norman (Octric apprentices) and Tom Green, Equipment Engineering Manager at Octric. Picture: Ellie Shooter (BAC)

A high-tech partnership between Octric Semiconductors UK and South West Durham Training (SWDT) is set to bolster the region's engineering future, providing local young people with a pathway into the UK’s critical defence supply chain.

The initiative has seen the first two multi-skilled maintenance apprentices, Sam Norman and Evan Porter, join the team at the Aycliffe Business Park facility.

The site - formerly the Coherent Inc factory - was famously opened as Fujitsu by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and was saved from closure through a strategic acquisition by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in 2024.

Now operating as Octric, the plant is the only secure facility in the country capable of manufacturing compound semiconductors.

These specialist chips are essential for high-performance, mission critical applications such as defence (such as military jets), telecoms and space.

Sam and Evan have embarked on a four-year Level 3 multi-skilled maintenance technical apprenticeship, with the potential to progress to a degree-level qualification.

After starting their training in September at SWDT, part of the Bishop Auckland College Group, they secured their placements following a rigorous recruitment process.

Sam, 16, from Crook and a former pupil of Parkside Academy, said: “I wasn’t sure at first about an apprenticeship, but I am so pleased I took that step now.

“We’ve been shadowing in the workshop, helping with everything from planned maintenance to breakdowns. I’ve always enjoyed problem-solving, and that is a key aspect of the job. “I want to be a fully qualified maintenance technician and get a job at the end of it; it’s a great opportunity.”

Evan, 17, from Darlington and a former Longfield Academy pupil, said: “The recruitment was exciting but tough. We had an icebreaker session, interviews and even had to do a presentation.

“I worked hard to get this, and I am so proud. Octric is a company with a strong backing and a promising future, and I’d love to keep progressing until I have a permanent job here.”

The visit to the site by Alan Strickland, the Labour MP for Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor, highlighted the government's commitment to Octric.

He worked closely with Defence Secretary John Healey in 2024 to safeguard 100 jobs at the factory, arguing that the UK "couldn't afford to see this company go under."

Mr Strickland said: “When I worked with Defence Secretary John Healey to secure the future of the factory, we were clear the Ministry of Defence's investment should boost opportunities for local people.

"That's why I was proud to meet the new apprentices who have started at Octric, learning advanced manufacturing and engineering skills.

“I'm really grateful to the leadership at Octric and South West Durham Training for working together to organise such a high-quality apprenticeship programme.”

The move to bring in apprentices marks a significant shift for the factory, which has not taken on trainees for many years until very recently.

The leadership at Octric sees this as a vital step in “backfilling” skills and investing in the future generation of the equipment team.

Tom Green, Equipment Engineering Manager at Octric, said: “Myself and John Tague, our equipment supervisor, both started as apprentices and have had wonderful careers.

“It feels good to pay back into this industry and prepare the next generation. This factory has been here 30-plus years, and it is exciting to look to the future and help these lads pass on those vital skills.”

Richard Wright, Senior Business Development Adviser at SWDT, echoed the importance of the real-world environment. He said: “Having done an apprenticeship myself, I understand the value of hands-on learning. One of the prerequisites Octric asked for was attendance and punctuality, which is what all engineering sectors stress.

“It is a daunting prospect for the lads in such a specialist, hi-tech sector, but it’s an amazing opportunity. We hope this model is something we can continue to develop to provide more job opportunities.”

The global semiconductor market is forecast to reach $1 trillion by 2030.

Through this partnership, Octric and SWDT aims to ensure that the North-East remains at the heart of this critical global industry.