Donald Trump brags that his television series The Apprentice brings out the best and brightest that business has to offer. But the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University may give “The Donald” a run for his money when students compete in their own version of the hit television show.

And the stakes are just as high as on TV.

For four consecutive weeks beginning Wednesday, Jan. 18, 10 students will vie for one of four summer internship positions with host companies, including Frito-Lay, Jan-Kelly Marketing, RBC and Xerox. Each week, two competing teams will be assigned a real-world challenge from a host company. They will have just one week to research, prepare and present a solution. At the end of the competition, four of the ten participating students will be offered summer jobs with the host companies.

The DeGroote Marketing Association hosts the MARS (marketing, advertising, retail, sales) Apprentice, now in its second year. Contestants are chosen on the basis of intelligence, integrity and innovation. In its inaugural year, companies found the presentations and ideas to be of such high quality that they adopted many of the campaigns and strategies put forth by the students.

“The quality of work and individuals involved was outstanding, and the student's contributions and ideas were not only valuable but also implemented,” said Christopher Dean, executive vice-president and general manager of business operations at Hamilton Ti-Cats Football Club.

Building on DeGroote's tradition for incorporating experiential education into classroom work, the Apprentice gives unprecedented interaction between students and industry as teams work through real world situations and gain experience in the fields of marketing, advertising, retail and sales.

Rick Neuman, one of last year's winners and now Canadian Tire's online marketing co-ordinator, spent his apprenticeship working at Jan Kelley Marketing. “I gained so much through the MARS Apprentice program, and it was by far the best experience of my undergrad degree with DeGroote.”