Joseph Valente, from expelled schoolboy to Apprentice winner

Plumbing business owner Joseph Valente has been crowned the winner of The Apprentice.

Lord Alan Sugar, left, with Apprenctice winner Joseph Valente. Picture: PA

Valente, expelled from school at the age of 15, called for a boost in vocational training to help disengaged pupils and said he plans to push for more workplace apprenticeships. After winning Lord Sugar’s backing for his business, he said: “Apprenticeships are going to be the backbone of this country, and off the back of this journey I’m going to make sure I go out and promote as much as possible how effective apprenticeships are.”

Valente started out as an apprentice and went on to found his own plumbing business in Peterborough.

The 26-year-old won Lord Sugar’s £250,000 backing and a 50/50 business partnership after seeing off 17 other candidates on the BBC show.

After crowning his winner, Lord Sugar said: “Joseph is a great example of what’s possible. He turned his life around and decided he was going to go to work and here he is today, a well-deserved winner of The Apprentice.”