BAE Systems' manufacturing facility at Hillend is set to take on young apprentices for the first time in five years.

The new recruits will join the 120-strong team which produces high-technology printed circuit boards and modules for radars and fighter aircraft and their appointment will help retain skills in this specialist area.

The jobs will be in addition to 12 engineering technician apprentices and 20 Craft apprentices which are being taken on at BAE Systems’ Glasgow sites this year.

Mark Skinner, BAE Systems’ Head of Manufacturing and Business Improvement, said: “It’s critical to continue to bring young blood into manufacturing as current demographics show that more than 30 per cent of our workforce will retire in the next 10 years.”

Interviews are already underway for three engineering apprenticeships at Hillend. Two of the posts will be in electrical engineering and the third in manufacturing engineering.

Recruitment has been possible due to a number of recent contract wins to provide complex printed circuit boards for radar and state-of-the-art military aircraft.

The successful Hillend applicants will spend the first 12 months of their four-year apprenticeships at Fife College to gain their national certificates in electrical and manufacturing engineering respectively.

They will then develop their skills alongside experienced colleagues at the same time as attending college on a day-release basis.

The apprenticeships will also include a number of placements to give them a more complete understanding of the Hillend facility and how it operates.

“Our previous intake completed their apprenticeships in 2016 and all three of them have become full-time members of the team. To be able to recruit a further three is fantastic news,” said Hillend Training Centre Co-ordinator, John Leslie.

As well as the engineering apprenticeships, three additional apprenticeships are being made available for existing employees at Hillend to enable them to further develop their skills.

“It’s an excellent development opportunity for some of our longer-term employees, many of whom have been here for more than 20 years,” added John.