Wirral student bids for success on Lord Sugar’s Young Apprentice

Oct 31 2012 by Tina Miles, Birkenhead News

A WIRRAL student is bidding for success with Lord Alan Sugar and this year's Young Apprentice.

Patrick McDowell, a fashion and textiles student from Greasby, has had to keep his television debut under his hat for a while.

But he will soon be needling fellow competitors in the challenges on BBC1’s Young Apprentice, which starts this Thursday.

The high-flying sixth-former, who is studying AS Levels at St Mary’s Catholic College in Wallasey, hopes to stitch together a successful career in the fashion industry.

And the first task, called Rags to Riches, on the third series of Young Apprentice should be right up Patrick’s street.

The 12 candidates, judged by Lord Sugar, Karren Brady and Nick Hewer, attempt to make a profit from people’s cast-offs.

They will be put through their paces to prove themselves worthy of the £25,000 prize which will help them up the career ladder.

Patrick, 16, is a regular eBay shopper who has transformed cheap clothes into creations for next to nothing.

He said: “It’s incredible to have this chance to do what I love most. I love working with textiles to create unusual and stunning effects.

“It would be fantastic to use my skills one day to have a career in the fashion industry.”

The teen candidate was the youngest ever recipient of the Textile Designer of the Year award at the age of 13.

His textile portrait of American Vogue editor Anna Wintour was recently displayed at the National Students Exhibition at The Mall Galleries in London.

Art teacher Alison McWatt said: “Patrick is incredibly gifted as an artist and fashion designer and we expect he will go far.”

The A* student, whose mum Michelle is a teacher at Christ The King primary school in Bromborough and dad Phil is a firefighter at Upton Fire Station, plays the euphonium and baritone horn in brass bands and St Mary’s Swing Band.

St Mary’s headteacher Tony Boyle said: “It is almost impossible to say how proud we are of Patrick’s achievements.

“He is a wonderful credit to the college. We wish him every success, both on and off the screen.

“Needless to say, both students and staff will be watching his progress very closely.”