Deputy First Minister announces Ferguson Marine’s largest apprenticeship intake in five years

Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) is proud to announce the significant expansion of its apprenticeship programme, marking the yard’s largest recruitment drive for young talent in five years.

Following the landmark announcement by the Scottish Government last week proposing to directly award the shipyard contracts for four new vessels, the shipyard has confirmed it will recruit a total of 24 new apprentices across two intake windows in August 2026 (10 posts) and January 2027 (14 posts). The contract award, which includes two small ferries for the CalMac fleet and two specialist vessels for Marine Scotland, would provide a guaranteed five-year pipeline of work, safeguarding hundreds of skilled jobs and providing the financial stability required to invest in the next generation of shipbuilders.

The new round of apprentice applications was officially opened today by Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, who visited the shipyard and hailed the move as a vital step in securing the long-term future of the strategic asset on the Clyde.

Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes said:

“Ferguson Marine’s announcement of new apprenticeships is a significant boost to the yard and the local community. Bringing opportunities for young people to learn highly skilled in-demand jobs while building their futures close to home.

“My announcement last week of the proposal to award four new vessels to the yard gives a stable pipeline of work, greater career certainty and retains Scotland’s long Scottish shipbuilding history while looking to the long-term future.”

The 24 new positions will be spread across a variety of critical disciplines, including, including welding, fabrication, electrical, operations and engineering. The boost in apprentice numbers is supported by a £14.2 million investment from the Scottish Government aimed at modernising the yard’s infrastructure and improving productivity.

Graeme Thomson, Chief Executive of Ferguson Marine, added: “Our apprentices are the lifeblood of this shipyard. I was an electrical apprentice, and we now have the certainty in our pipeline to give other young people the same chance I had at the start of my career. This round of recruitment will be essential to our modernisation and transformation plans ensuring that the Clydebuilt seal of quality remains at the heart of everything we do. I look forward to working with them to ensure they have the expertise required to lead this yard into a sustainable future."

Ferguson Marine has hired and trained 86 apprentices since it was nationalised in 2019. The programme is run by apprentice coordinator, Frances Rice who also commented on the announcement: “We’re proud to expand the number of skilled jobs we can offer young people in Port Glasgow and the wider Inverclyde area. Many of our apprentices have a deep family history in shipbuilding, and it is a privilege to support this next generation as they carry on the proud tradition of building world-class vessels on the Clyde.”

Applications for the first ten places of Ferguson Marine’s 2026 apprenticeship intake are open via the Ferguson Marine website. A further 14 places will be open for application later this year, ready to start in January 2027.