A new wave of apprentices yesterday began their first day of work on the Clyde shipyards.

The Scotstoun and Govan yards in Glasgow welcomed 70 new apprentices to the Scottish Modern Apprenticeship scheme. It takes the total number of BVT Surface Fleet's Clyde recruits to nearly 400.

The new intake will learn their trade while working for the next three or four years on the most advanced ships of their type - the Type 45 Destroyers, as well as future aircraft carriers, the largest vessels to enter service with the Royal Navy.

The scheme led to a reunion for two of the oldest apprentice intakes, John Hepburn and Joe Dunn, both 28 - who had been in the same class at school, until Mr Dunn moved to another area at the age of eight.

Now a graduate, Mr Dunn, from Gourock, spoke of the motivation behind leaving a job in advertising for an apprenticeship in pipe-fitting.

He said: "I had to think about where I wanted to be in the next 15 to 20 years and realised I wanted a complete career change away from a high-pressure, target-driven environment. This is a unique opportunity. It's a new challenge and it's something I never thought I'd have the chance to do at 28. I'll gain the kind of experience I'd never get anywhere else in the world."

His former classmate Mr Hepburn, now a father-of-one, from Port Glasgow, left a career with Royal Mail for the shipyard.

He said: "I wanted to take my career to the next level. I think those who select the apprentices realise you can still do the job even if you are a bit older. At this age you are thinking about your responsibilities, and taking things more seriously."

Among the younger recruits is Stephanie MacPherson, 18, from Govan. On completing her training, she will be the only female among around 800 male fabricators. The teenager is also following the same profession as her late grandfather, Johnny.

She said: "Woodwork and metalwork were my favourite subjects at school, so this was the natural way to go. My granny told me my granddad would have been really proud of me today."

The teenager is one of only five females to have secured a place on this year's apprenticeship scheme.

Another is technical apprentice Cheryl Stuart, 19, from Drumchapel. She said: "I get on with the boys no bother. I'm looking forward to getting my h ands dirty and making it in a male-dominated industry."