Anyone aged between 16 and 25 can take part in the contest, which will be decided by public online vote before 15 finalists are picked by judges Jamelia, magazine editor Jefferson Hack and Mobo founder Kanya King.

Contestants have to share their ideas with the five steps that would make them happen at www.agrandidea.co.uk

Winners will receive £1,000 towards starting their own venture.

Study science not media, says Sir Alan - May 4 2007
Sir Alan Sugar has told young people not to bother wasting their time with a media studies degree, and to give science a go instead.

The 60-year-old businessman said media studies graduates could end up wondering where their life had gone rather than fulfilling their full potential.

"I think that to obtain a degree in, for example, media studies, is very very easy," said the face of The Apprentice.

"A lot of wasted brainpower is going in that direction, where their brain will never be used to capacity."

He continued: "They may end up, as many of them do, running around in television studios making tea for people and that’s all they’ll ever do. They they’ll turn round and they’ll be 25 and 30 years old and wonder where their life went."

Sir Alan said Britain needed more scientists to remain competitive.

"There is a great need for research and development in this country again, there’s a great need for young people to understand that we need the scientists," he explained.

"Not everybody can be a media expert and not everybody can be an entrepreneur, not everybody can be a pop star - we need scientists back in the country again."

Apprentice hopefuls fired up for show - Mar 28 2007
The new series of The Apprentice kicks off tonight.

The show, transferred from BBC Two to BBC One, will see 16 candidates battling it out for a £100,000-a-year plum job with Amstrad tycoon Sir Alan Sugar.

This year’s contestants include a quantum physicist, a would-be secret agent and Kate Middleton’s former boss.

An ex-Army lieutenant, a housewife, two car salesmen and three single mothers are also among the hopefuls in the third series.

All the contestants have quit their jobs to take part in the show and many have come from humble beginnings like Sir Alan.

But in the first show, due to be shown at 9pm tonight, he warns them: "The worst kind of schmooze that I can’t stand is ’Sir Alan, I’m just like you - I came from a humble background and worked my way up’. Well, don’t lay that rubbish on me."

Each week an apprentice will hear Sir Alan’s famous catchphrase: "You’re fired."

The two teams will live together in a multi-million pound mansion in Notting Hill, west London.

Last year’s winner Michelle Dewberry quit her £100,000 job with Sir Alan.

The former supermarket checkout girl has since written her autobiography and appeared on a BBC celebrity hairdressing show.

She also had a well-publicised affair with fellow candidate Syed Ahmed but the couple split after she lost their unborn baby.

Sir Alan recently admitted: "Last year I wasn’t particularly impressed with the calibre of candidates."

Contenders line up for The Apprentice - Mar 21 2007
A quantum physicist, a would-be secret agent and Kate Middleton’s former boss are among the candidates in the new series of The Apprentice.

An ex-Army lieutenant, a housewife, two car salesmen and three single mothers are also among the hopefuls.