Based around everyone’s favourite phenomenon — ‘apps’ — the free programme that will take 10 young people from Manchester on a journey to turn their bright idea for an iPhone app into reality.

By teaming up with industry experts and top digital companies, App School will put participants through a ‘boot camp’ style crash course of Creative Innovation Labs — business and innovation workshops that will teach the basics behind turning a great idea into a real working app.

Its not about tech know-how or even marketing savvy, but about people with great creative ideas and a bit of drive and ambition. At the culmination of the programme, the best app ideas will be pitched to a panel of development companies, and the winner could find its way on to the App Store, and on to an iPhone near you.

Budding app-rentices (sorry) can visit www.appschool.co.uk for more info and to apply

The 5-day course will run from January to March 2010 and will include modules on team-working, client communications, project delivery, business operations and market / audience awareness.

The course will be delivered through some of the sectors most respected trainers, including Andrew Thomas (McCann-i founder), Alec McPhedran (Skills Channel TV), and Philip Hempsted (Psycuity, Yuuguu), and Mark Stringer (Agile Lab) alongside guest speakers and case studies.

‘Given the downturn many companies are finding it difficult to justify spend on training, especially for newer recruits,’ said Northwest Vision and Media’s Head of Skills, Lynn Kelly, ‘i.studio+ will be essential in sowing the seeds for the next generation of digital leaders in the region.’

‘I’m what you’d call an accidental leader and I really could’ve done with a something like i.studio+ when I started out,’ said David Eccles (MD of Fudge), ‘No doubt about it, I’m getting our new front-line staff signed-up for the programme.’

To sign-up for i.studio+ please contact Phil Birchenall on 0161 446 2991 or apply online here.

You can view the presentations from Transmissions on Slideshare here.

So that brings the Transmissions events to a close for 2009. Never fear, though, we’re back with more explorations in innovation in 2010, kicking off on 28th January with #tx3 — ‘Device & Conquer: Tales from the front-line of mobile innovation’, for which you can now register your free place.

We’re also gearing up for Technique and i.studio+ — two high quality training initiatives launching early in 2010; both innovative in their own right. Places are limited for both, and they’re moving fairly quickly, so if you are interested then we’d advise staking your claim for a place as soon as you can.

As we roll steadily into party season, it’s good to have our European friends back in town once more. Here at Sparks we hold the philosophy that Sausage + Gluhwein = Great Ideas. With that in mind we’ll be getting stuck in to the annual festivities nice and early, so expect some good things coming from Digital Sparks in the new year. Now we just need to suss out the formula for remembering them all.

A huge thanks to our speakers, who gave us a really diverse look at innovation across their respective companies. While Imran uses his entrepreneurial instinct to find new ideas and markets for iTeddy, Hal is part of a Sony’s very considered and inclusive innovation program and, with Huddle, Martin has a killer web app that in itself fosters innovation through collaboration.

Another big hit on the night was The Fortunograph — a mysterious, mind-boggling frankly awesome digital tarot-reader created by Madlab and The Kazimier; well-suited to the misty evening outside. Find out more about their wacky ventures at www.madlab.org.uk

The team at the IMW helped make it a great night with a stunning venue and superb team — so hats off to the IMW too.

No rest for the wicked though — Transmission # 2 (#tx2) is only a couple of weeks away: this time we’ll be back in Salford Quays at Northwest Vision and Media’s new HQ, for a look at innovations in web. If #tx1 is anything to go by, tickets could fly out, so be quick and get yours here.

See you there!

To get one of these tickets whilst they’re still available follow this link — http://transmission1.eventbrite.com/

The programme runs right across the digital production sector, incorporating a number of high-level events, seminars, workshops and training programmes for leaders, managers, techies, creatives, freelancers and newbies.

This site is the main hub for Digital Sparks, and includes programme information, event details and registration. We’ve worked alongside numerous people and businesses to develop Sparks, and there is still chance for you to influence the programme — we’d love your input into the Sparks programme as it develops. So, if you have any ideas for themes or speakers, or just want to give us some feedback, please use the influence tab (over there to the right –>).

Headlining the programme will be Transmissions — a series of inspiring and entertaining evening shows exploring innovation in the digital industry, with an interactive format that fuses keynotes, case studies, hypothetical discussions and hands-on tech demos. To date, confirmed speakers include Andy McLoughlin (Huddle), Chris Mills (Opera), Seb Lee-Delisle (Plug-in Media), and Matt Pollitt (ustwo).

iStudio+ is an intensive training programme developed to fast-track new employees within digital companies, equipping them with essential business skills that will enhance their existing roles and prepare them for greater responsibility in the future. The 5-day course includes modules on business and market awareness, teamworking, communications, creative thinking and project delivery.

The Technique residential training camp is for web developers of all codes, connecting together with visionaries from the global development community. While other events focus on thinking and talking, Technique is all about action — it will be intensive, practical and hands-on. Confirmed trainers include legends of code such as Peter-Paul Koch (Quirks-mode) and Luis Lavena (Area 17).

Finally, DMEX (Digital Media Exchange) aims to connect Digital Media companies with TV Professionals through flexible paid placements: providing a unique opportunity for businesses to work with, and learn from, established professionals from the television industries, sharing skills and knowledge between both.

Digital Sparks is funded by the Digital and Media Skills Programme, delivered by Northwest Vision and Media in partnership with Skillset, and supported by the North West Development Agency. The programme is being delivered by The White Room.