Created by American-based British producer Mark Burnett, the show depicts contestants from around the country with various professional backgrounds in an elimination-style competition to become an apprentice to a businessman.

The host or advisors would usually provide future advice to candidates on improvement or address ant criticisms, followed by the results for the task; members from the winning team are immune from elimination and depending on season, are being permitted to view the next stage of the boardroom on the TV in their suite.

The project manager is asked to select a certain number of teammates (typically two, but on occasion one or three) to bring back into the final-stage boardroom meeting, though in some cases the host can overrule their decision to choose candidates instead if they see fit.

Final tasks generally require the finalists to organize (to various degrees) an event such as a party or a fundraiser which has multiple planning elements.

The show depicted a group of 15–18 businessmen and -women competing in an elimination competition for a one-year, US$250,000 contract to run one of real estate magnate Donald Trump's companies.

The first season aired during the winter and spring of 2004, executive-produced by Mark Burnett, Jay Bienstock, and Trump, who also hosts the show.

S1, 2008: Isaac Dankyi-Koranteng S1, 2005: Tatyana Burdelova An African version, The Apprentice Africa, is hosted by advertising magnate and co-founder of Insight Communications, Biodun Shobanjo.

The show, the first Apprentice spin-off in Asia, started on 3 October 2005, and aired every Monday on 21.30 Western Indonesian Time (GMT +7) on the television station Indosiar.

According to the show's official website, the apprentice winner, a 29-year-old male whose name is Fendi Gunawan Liem, will be earning a salary of 600 million rupiahs, equivalent to about US$66,000.

The Apprentice's Malaysian version spin-off in Asia started on October 3, 2005, and aired every Monday on 22.30 Malaysia time (GMT+8) on the television station TV3.

Real estate tycoon Mohamed Ali Alabbar hosts the Arabic version from Dubai called الإدارة جدارة (Al idara jadara).

British TV producer Peter Pomerantsev credited Russian culture with its failure, writing, "The usual way to get a job in Russia is not by impressing at an interview, but by what is known as blat – 'connections'.

The Estonian version called Mantlipärija was hosted by Armin Karu, the owner of the Olympic Entertainment Group (casinos and hotel chains).

It was hosted by well-known business entrepreneur and TV personality Harry Harkimo, whose catchphrase was "Mä annan sulle potkut!"

In September 2004, German TV station ProSieben aired an adaptation of The Apprentice called Hire or Fire, produced by and starring John de Mol.

[23] From October 2004 to January 2005, German TV station RTL aired an adaptation of The Apprentice called Big Boss.

The show was hosted by former soccer manager Reiner Calmund, and the winner received a prize of €250,000 ($300,000 at the time[citation needed]) for starting her or his own business.

It is hosted by business mogul Bill Cullen, who has made his fortune from the motor industry, and is the owner of Renault Ireland; his company makes over €350 million annually.

[citation needed] The show is based in Dublin, and the winner receives a 12-month contract working alongside Cullen with a package worth €100,000.

Although TV3 have made home-produced versions of international programmes before such as The Weakest Link, The Apprentice is without doubt proving to be the most successful for the broadcaster, attracting large viewing figures,[citation needed] and receiving much attention from the media in Ireland.

RTÉ, TV3's biggest rivals, have considered the show's success, and produced their own version of Dragons' Den as a result, in the hope of also attracting Irish viewers.

The show focused much on the character of Moszkowicz, a flamboyant man known for defending a number of very unpopular figures, most notably Desi Bouterse.

This time, the series centered around Dutch entrepreneur Aad Ouborg, known mostly for creating and managing the Princess Household Appliances brand.

The phrase used by Ouborg to fire contestants is Met jou ga ik niet ondernemen!, which translates as "I'm not going into business with you".

Tim Campbell, a former transport manager for the London Underground, was ultimately hired and as a result, landed a position at Amstrad with an introductory contract of 1 year with a salary exceeding £100,000.

The winner of the 2008 series was Lee McQueen, having beaten Claire Young, Helene Speight and Alex Wotherspoon in the final, which featured four candidates instead of the usual two.

The 30-minute programme has a studio audience and interview with the fired apprentice, and Lord Sugar usually appears in the final episode of each series.

The BBC has also screened series 1–5 of the US version (as of winter 2010), being broadcast some considerable time after the original US airing, and in the graveyard slot (11:00 pm onwards).

In 2011, the 7th series was broadcast, with one major difference: the candidates would be competing for a £250,000 investment into their business for a 50% equity stake from Lord Sugar.

In late 2013, Rede Record confirmed the first season of Aprendiz Celebridades, a Brazilian version of Celebrity Apprentice, which premiered in April 2014.