Brian Mandelbaum, a 23-year-old former Old Bethpage resident living in New York City, will have the chance to land his dream job this fall. Mandelbaum is one of 18 contestants on NBC's show The Apprentice.

For the first time in the show's four year run, Donald Trump hand-picked the contestants and Brian Mandelbaum, a 1998 graduate of Plainview Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, was one of them. "For the first time, I hand-picked an Apprentice cast, and I'm thrilled with the results," Donald Trump said to NBC.

Ranging in age between 22-41, the candidates hold degrees from Oxford, Wharton, MIT, and Georgetown and include an NFL player turned ad sales executive, an inventor, a salon and spa chain owner, a financial journalist and a risk manager. Additionally, several of the candidates are already millionaires.

According to NBC's website, Mandelbaum is director of business development for the True Type Printing Company, a New York City-based commercial printing company. During his tenure, Mandelbaum effectively launched new initiatives within the print and graphic arts vertical market. He helped orchestrate a comprehensive overhaul of this 70-year-old company into a 30,000 square foot modern state-of-the-art commercial printing facility - increasing its overall capability and profitability. Prior to this position, Mandelbaum has been a consultant with many of the industry leaders in technology including America Online, Inc. and Razorfish, Inc. developing successful software application systems for their clients. From 1997-1999, Mandelbaum helped cultivate an Internet startup company on Long Island called The Fountainhead Management, which was sold to the publicly traded e-commerce company, Intershop Communications, in March of 1999. Additionally, at the age of 18, Mandelbaum was the youngest citizen panelist on HBO's Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher television show.

According to NBC, Mandelbaum said that he will consider himself a success once he completed his personal triathlon. "When I work purely for the joy of it, am indispensable in my field and am surrounded by a loving family and lifelong friends," said Mandelbaum.

Mandelbaum also said that perseverance is the key to success. "It's easy to be ambitious, but few people have the drive to beat the odds and make dreams come true," he said to NBC.

He also said the real-world experience is more valuable than college, in his opinion. "College studies, while helpful, have not brought me to where I am today," Mandelbaum said to NBC. "This is because succeeding in business depends largely on a great work ethic, creativity, and establishing an important network of relationships. I've worked very hard since I was 15, paid my dues, and now I have a foundation to become successful in business."

The Apprentice, Trump's original series, will debut on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9 p.m. on NBC. Information on all 18 candidates is available at www.nbc.com.