The Apprentice is putting young people off the world of work, Vince Cable warns

TV show The Apprentice should change its name because the bizarre challenges and on-the-spot sackings could put people off starting apprenticeships, Vince Cable suggested.

The Business Secretary said he feared the BBC1 show gives a ‘completely false impression’ of what real on the job training involves.

He dismissed Lord Sugar’s hunt for a business partner as ‘TV theatre’ which could deter young people from seeking a career in business.

Head to head: Business Secretary Vince Cable said he worried the bizarre challenges and Lord Sugar 's treatment of the contestants on The Apprentice would deter people from apprenticeships

Battle: The Apprentice is now in its ninth series but has repeatedly been criticised for his reputation of business

The government has investment huge amounts of time and effort into promoting apprenticeships.

In the last four years the number of people starting apprenticeships has risen from 2340,000 in 2008-09 to 520,000 last year.

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But Mr Cable revealed his concern that TV shows misrepresent what working in business is really like.

In particular he worries that The Apprentice could damage the reputation of apprenticeships.

The hand of doom: Lord Sugar shows one - and this week two - candidates the door with his catchphrase: 'You're fired!'

Realistic?  The latest series has seen Alex Mills (left) dress up like a general for a corporate away day and historian Jason Leech's suprirse success at selling trailer tents

In the first six series contestants competed to be hired as an ‘apprentice’ at one of Lord Sugar’s firms where they would learn from his experience in business.

But since 2011 the prize has been a £250,000 investment from the Amstrad founder.

Mr Cable suggested that the premise of the show is now too far removed from real apprenticeships.

‘I know that The Apprentice is designed to be dramatic television viewing but it has very little to do with apprentices – people who are doing a serious piece of vocational training,” said Mr Cable,’ he told the Daily Telegraph.

‘I worry that whatever the attractions of the programme as a piece of TV theatre, it gives people a completely false impression about what being an apprentice actually involves.’

Let's sail away: Natalie Panayi demonstrates the roofbox that turns into a boat

Row: Each episode culminates in three contestants fighting it out to save their place, with Lord Sugar acting as ringmaster - and executioner

When the BBC series returned to screens in May it attracted just 6million viewers, it lowest rating for a launch episode since first transferring to BBC1 six years ago. In 2009 it had 8.1million for the launch episode.

It has frequently been criticsed by business leaders and politicians for its portrayal of the world of work.

This week businessman David Gold wrote on Twitter: 'I don't like the aggression and the lack of respect."

He is co-chairman of West Ham United, where vice-chairman is Karen Brady who acts as an adviser to Lord Sugar on the show.

In 2008 Gordon Brown condemned the decision to award the £100,000 job to a salesman who lied on his CV.

Apprentice winner Lee McQueen pretended he went to university for two years.