FORMER apprentices who went on to become self-made millionaires have seen their fortunes soar in recent years, research showed today.
The collective wealth of the nation's top 50 people who made their money after coming from a vocational background or apprenticeship has trebled from £2.7bn in 2003 to £8.1bn this year, according to the City and Guilds Vocational Rich List.
The group said research showed getting your hands dirty on the shop floor paid off. Many self-made millionaires were using an apprenticeship to launch a successful career in the same or a different field.
The list, compiled by Sunday Times Rich List author Philip Beresford, is topped by telecoms boss John Caudwell for the fourth year in a row. His fortune has soared £320m in the past 12 months to £1.6bn.
