We are incredibly proud to share that OT Dan Miller (Class of 2016) is appearing on the 20ᵗʰ series of BBC’s The Apprentice, launching on Thursday 29 January.  Dan is one of 20 ambitious business founders and entrepreneurs competing for Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment, making this the largest cohort in the show’s history.

Dan’s story is a powerful testament to what can happen when passion meets perseverance. Growing up in Smalley, Derbyshire, he founded his company Young Professionals UK at the age of 17, while still in the Sixth Form at Trent, launching it from his bedroom with nothing more than a laptop and a big idea!  What began as a single-person initiative has grown into one of the UK’s largest student networks, connecting thousands of young people with apprenticeships, work experience placements, and early career opportunities through partnerships with major employers including PwC, Goldman Sachs, Rolls-Royce and IBM to name but a few.  

“Applying was an extremely vigorous process and involved several full-day assessments and screen tests where you’re up against hundreds of other people. The BBC never say exactly how many people apply but it’s rumoured to be around 80,000 people every year.”

In The Apprentice, Lord Sugar challenges the candidates, who are split into two teams, with tasks over the course of 12 weeks which in this series sees the candidates travelling as far as Hong Kong in the first episode, and later to El Gouna in Egypt.   At the end of the task and in an intense boardroom meeting, Lord Sugar fires those, with the trusted help of advisers Baroness Karren Brady CBE and Tim Campbell MBE, he believes have been responsible for the failure of the task.

“The boardroom is real, and it can be a bit scary at times.  You never know what questions you're going to be asked so you've got to be alert at all times."

Appearing on The Apprentice wasn’t just about the possibility of investment for Dan, it was about testing his own resilience, leadership and decision-making under pressure. Speaking ahead of the broadcast, he reflected on the experience as intense but rewarding, pointing to key lessons in confidence, judgement and staying true to his values even when challenges were toughest.

“I stayed true to who I am throughout. I didn’t feel the need to play up to the cameras or become someone I’m not. I went in to learn, to challenge myself, and to come out better than I went in – and I absolutely did that.”

Dan’s journey resonates strongly with the values championed at Trent College. The curriculum and enrichment programmes encourage students to think beyond academic success, empowering them with the confidence to lead, the adaptability to navigate change, and the ambition to pursue meaningful paths that reflect their strengths and passions.

From the early days of exploring ideas and opportunities in Year 12 to standing in the Apprentice boardroom on national television, Dan’s story shows how confidence, tenacity, ambition and persistence can open doors, and how our school community plays a fundamental role in equipping students for life’s next chapter.

“I started from nothing but an idea in school has grown to become one of the UK’s largest student networks.”

We’ll be cheering Dan on throughout the series and look forward to welcoming him back to Trent College very soon, to speak with our current Sixth Form, and sharing more of his insights with us.