The £120,000 project will provide classroom and workshop facilities for school and community groups and families.

The Titan crane, which weighs 800 tons and has 80ft-deep foundations, helped John Brown’s shipyard build the biggest ships in the world last century.

Eleanor McAllister, managing director of regeneration company Clydebank Re-built and the Titan Clydebank Trust, said: “We are delighted work has just started on the new education centre.

“We are looking forward to it being ready for opening for school classes and visitors at the end of May. This will be a great asset to our programme at the Titan and will boost the number of visitors.

“It will mean we can provide a dedicated on site facility at the crane for all our visitors but especially for school classes and community groups who will be able to visit the crane and learn about Clydebank’s proud shipbuilding past and the town’s regeneration through the year.”

As well as an open plan classroom and workshop, the centre will have a display and exhibition area and will include smart board technology which will allow lessons to be broadcast live from the Titan to schools across the country through the Learning Teaching Scotland Network.

The education centre is being funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and local regeneration companies Clyde Waterfront and Clydebank Re-built.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has already supported the Titan’s education programme and funded the preparation of primary and secondary school packs.

More than 28,000 people, including over 100 school classes, have visited the crane since it opened as a heritage visitor attraction in August 2007.

Visitors can take the lift to the top, learn about the ships which were launched at Clydebank and enjoy the views of the Clyde from the jib platform 150ft from the ground.

The Titan, the only A-listed building in Clydebank, is the last remaining feature of the now demolished John Brown’s.

It was the first electrically-powered giant cantilever crane in the world and was restored at a cost of £3million following demands from local people to keep the Titan as an icon to Clydebank’s shipbuilding heritage.

The crane opens for the 2011 season on Saturday 23 April. Schools and community groups interested in visiting the crane should contact Cheryl Dyer on 0141 951 3420 or by email at Cheryl@clydebankrebuilt.co.uk.