Forget the business school rankings. Choosing a course is as easy as turning on the telly for aspiring students glued to the ‘job interview from hell’ that is TV’s ‘The Apprentice‘.
Aston University claims to have been inundated with enquiries about its BSc in Management and Strategy (MAS) course thanks to the presence of likeable Aston MAS grad Alex Wotherspoon.
One applicant, rather worringly, was said to have cited ‘The Apprentice’ as her reason for choosing the course. Overall, the number of students making it their first choice is up 150 per cent, according to the university.
It’s not all down to the ‘The Apprentice’, says Dr Helen Higson, associate dean of undergraduate studies and pro-vice chancellor for international relations. Even so, it’s a turn up for those who criticised the show a couple of years ago.
Detractors include NESTA chief and ex-Apax chief of staff Jonathan Kestenbaum, who took aim at the show’s portrayal of the workplace as a ruthless hornet’s nest. The late Sir John Harvey-Jones — whose ‘Troubleshooter’ series paved the way for business TV in Britain — disparaged Sir Alan Sugar’s ‘bullying’ tactics.
But defenders claim it has raised awareness of business among a younger generation and that it encourages debate about what it takes to be a good manager.
Sugar himself admits it’s a ‘one-way portrayal’ of his leadership style. But he believes it presents a realistic view of the corporate world.
Whether accurate or not, the show’s likely to have won another fan in Aston.
I wonder if Michael “I am an exceptional individual” Sophocles’s alma mater, Edinburgh, has enjoyed a similar spike in applications.
Does The Apprentice present a realistic picture of the UK workplace? Share your views below.
