Although the goal of the show's candidates has changed from the original format of the programme, when the aim was to become Lord Sugar's "apprentice" and work in one of his businesses, the show has kept its title. 

As ever, we can expect to see candidates who are not afraid to blow their own trumpet with previous candidates coming out with some great lines including….

“I’m Stuart Baggs ‘The Brand’ – I’ve got a certain type of charisma.”

"Business is the new rock 'n' roll and I'm Elvis Presley."

"As a salesperson, I would rate myself as probably the best in Europe."

and

"I'm not a one-trick pony. I'm not a 10-trick pony. I've got a field of ponies waiting to literally run towards this job."

In employment law the term "apprentice" has a specific meaning, and it's unlikely that the winners of the previous series were genuinely apprentices, particularly in light of their relative seniority and £100,000 salary! 

We have discussed before in our insights section, the circumstances in which an individual would be regarded as an apprentice, and the consequences of employing apprentices.  Apprentices have greater protection from termination than ordinary employees and any employer trying to emulate Lord Sugar by telling an apprentice that they are fired could face a costly claim for compensation.  Employers should therefore consider carefully the consequences of taking on apprentices and ensure that their recruitment process is rigorous given that they are likely to need to retain the apprentice until they finish the course that they are studying towards, even where there are potentially significant conduct or performance issues. 

For more information on our employment law services, visit our Employment advice for employers web page.