STOW College was the training ground for many of the apprentices who worked on some of the world's biggest ships at Clyde shipyards.

Now education bosses are hoping former students will give a little back to Glasgow's first purpose-built further education college.

College bosses are trying to find out whether comedian Billy Connolly and football boss Sir Alex Ferguson were among those who attended evening classes to learn their trade while working on the shipyards.

Stow will celebrate its 75th anniversary this year and the college is looking for students and staff past and present to share their memories and make the celebrations even more spectacular.

The college is planning a series of events to mark its anniversary, including a photographic exhibition. Motor racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart has already confirmed he will attend.

Robert Ross, marketing manager at Stow College, said: "The college opened in 1934, on the same day the Queen Mary was launched in Clydebank. Press coverage was mostly on the launch and not the Stow opening, so the clippings are few and far between.

"On the plus side of that though, the majority of shipyard workers would have attended Stow College to learn their trade after that.

"Because we are not a university we do not have an alumni list.

"Tens of thousands of Glasgow people have gone through Stow College since it opened and it is very much a landmark in the city.

"Plans for the celebrations are still in the early stages, but we are hoping we can generate as much information as possible from former students and staff."

Stow College opened its doors among the tenements on Shamrock Street, Garnethill, on September 26, 1934.

Students in the early years reflected the character of Glasgow industry, which was based on heavy engineering and shipbuilding.

Through the Second World War soldiers were trained as electricians, engineer fitters, motor mechanics and coach trimmers.

By 1950 enrolments, day and evening, exceeded 5000 and the college expanded into several annexes, including the former Dobbie's Loan school.

Now, students come from all over the world come to study music, science, computing, and management, as well as engineering.

The college offers the most extensive range of access programmes in Scotland, designed specifically designed to provide a route into higher education for mature adults with few or no qualifications.

Stow also runs three record labels run by music management students - Gdansk and Root8 and Electric Honey, which launched Belle and Sebastian's debut album Tiger Milk.

Last month college principal Bob McGrory announced Stow was withdrawing from the plan to create a £300million super-college in Glasgow.

The college was said to be unhappy about attempts to force a merger of four colleges on to one campus rather than pursue the original plan for a site where each college kept its own identity.

Mr Ross said the college is now focusing its efforts on attracting funding for a possible refurbishment of the building.

He said: "We are the second oldest purpose-built college in Scotland operating in a 75-year-old building. There is no doubt we are in need of refurbishment."

Stow has two Glasgow campuses - in Cowcaddens and Stow West campus in Maryhill - and has around 10,000 students.

In January 2006 a £1.5m Science learning centre was opened at the City campus.

Around 39% of learners are from Glasgow, with the remainder from all over Scotland, the rest of the UK and overseas.

The college says 98% of successful full-time students gain employment or progress to more advanced education or training.

Last year Stow attracted record numbers of science and engineering students, bucking a national trend. It received 1500 student applications, a 36% increase on the previous intake.

The college recently became the only one in the world to receive membership of the International Corporate Technical Universities Association.

In 2007 it was Scotland's top education centre of the year by the Scottish Qualification Agency.

Former students and staff can get in touch with the college at www.stow.ac.uk and by following the link to 75th anniversary. Photographs can also be sent to photos@stow.ac.uk TIMES FILE: STOW FACTS Stow College was named after David Stow (1793-1864), a Victorian philanthropist and one of the greatest pioneers in the history of Scottish education. Stow also founded an infant school in the Drygait area of Glasgow in 1828 and introduced revolutionary teaching methods such as visual aids and the concept of a playground'. The first Principal was Dr William S Cormack who took up his post at the end of 1935. Potential college heads were lured with the promise of a salary of £800 per annum and the advert stated "Applicants to be not less than 30 years of age and not more than 40 years of age." More than 60% of learners who start a course at Stow possess no qualifications on entry. More than 63% of students are aged 25 or over and more than 40% of full-time students come from the 20% most deprived postcode areas in Glasgow.