3:36pm Wednesday 1st September 2010
By Kate Turner
A BURNLEY entrepreneur has flown out to the Far East to star in the Sri Lankan version of The Apprentice.
Around four million people will tune in to see recent UCLAN graduate David Howarth, 32, put his business skills to the test.
In the programme, Ideators, David will compete against five other students from the UK, and six business students from Sri Lanka.
In a similar format to the UK show, the competitors will work together on a number of tasks, but only one will be selected as the winner by a judging panel headed by a highly-regarded Sri Lankan tycoon.
The series has been organised by the British Council, which aims to increase appreciation of the UK’s ideas and achievements overseas and open up markets to British companies.
David heard about the show through an advertisement.
The programme will be filmed throughout September, during which David will be exposed to a gruelling month of competition.
The teams will take part in 11 entrepreneurship challenges, which aim to test every aspect of their business skills and cultural understanding, asking them to sell products ranging from fresh fish to financial services.
The programme will be screened on Sri Lankan television from November and the winner reveal-ed in January.
When he returns to Burnley, David is hoping to put the business training to good use in launching a product he has invented, which aims to revolut-ionise interior design by allowing louvre blinds to be held together decoratively – similar to a curtain tie back.
“Along with the opportunity to travel and meet new people, I want to challenge my-self,” said David, who has been developing his product for the last four years and hopes to secure a worldwide patent.
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