I was having a really interesting conversation with Denis Koltsov of BREC and Katie O’Connor of C-Tech Innovation at The Daresbury Innovation Centre recently.

Denis mentioned something very interesting about social media: it doesn’t forget!!  Alright (you know that), but according to a Radio Four program he had listened to, we are not designed to remember everything.

Immediately my mind flashed back to the first day I saw the Internet (for some unknown reason).  It was at the Cyber Cafe on Oxford Road Manchester: a highly impressive piece of branding and interior design as I recall.

I had heard Michael Heseltine bleat on about the “Super Information Highway,” but I hadn’t a clue what he was on about, and I suspect neither did he.

So I went in, took a pew, and was introduced.

I came out – and remember how slow and dull and primitive it was in 1994 – and rushed over to a family friend’s business in China Town.  I exclaimed that I had seen something very special, and was given a generous and perplexed look.

I now get very agitated without broadband and my iPhone.  I have worked in the Internet industry, traveled to the US (twice), I am able to work for myself and I am training in about two hours a professionals services practice and much more besides because of the Internet – it is quite incredible if you think about it.

George Dearsley, a Manchester based media trainer, sent me a great link about the iPad on The Guardian website, and I almost fell in love again: this is really going to revolutionise communications – one Dutch newspaper has taken the bold step of migrating its website based version onto the iPad as the main  (and I think the only) means of diseminating its content.

Craig McGinty did warn me – I now believe.

Today’s Manchester Evening News covered the iPhone application course being run by agency the White Room.

So if you are between 18-24 (older candidates can be considered), live in Manchester and are interested in the creative industries, go on the link above for more details.  Open to all except full-time students.

I was flicking through the South Manchester Reporter when I caught sight of my old chum Phil Birchenall.

Phill was part of Creative Industries Development Service and was helpful and supportive to me and many other creative companies while he was with the organisation.

The last time I spoke to Phil he told me he had gone freelance and had a number of interests – that was some time ago.

So I was pleased and interested to find out that Phil is now part of The White Room, a digital media and technology consultancy.

The Reporter focused on Phil’s new course to help 18-24 year olds gain some really interesting skills, experience and confidence through a course centred on designing iPhone applications.  The best designs will be sold online.

It sounds like a wonderful way to get a start in the creative media sector.

Supported by Manchester Metropolitan University and the council it is sure to be popular and with only 10 places it would be wise to make inquiries now if interested: 0161 446 2991

Criteria

• 18-24 years old (but this is a flexible rule if the candidates are enthusiastic and show potential)
• Must live in Manchester City boundaries
• Can be recent graduates / self-employed /part-time / full-time if you can take the time off to attend although this is about a day a week during the duration of the course
• No full-time students
• Must be enthusiastic and really want to do the course