DEFENCE giant BAE Systems has taken on a record 100 new apprentices.

Sixty-seven new employees – 45 engineering and 22 business apprentices – started training this month while a further 20 are being trained by BAE Systems for companies in its supply chain and 16 have started at the company’s Warton and Samlesbury sites.

Some will spend their first year of training in Preston before going out to companies which supply BAE Systems’ in Lancashire and Barrow.