Yesterday was my first day on the creative concepts training programme.
I cycled to the Hothouse in Longton (which is where our new workspaces are located) which took about an hour from mine with the wind, rain and checking maps to see if I was going the right way.
I arrived a little late and couldn’t find a place to chain my bike up (queue an extra 10 minutes of trying to get into the building but being stopped by locked doors or gates)
Finally inside I settle in with a free coffee and introduced to the course, tutors, timetable etc 
we were then showed around the complex’s and given the keys/cards to our delegated rooms, unfortunately I think we were all expecting a little more really (I shall go into detail in a bit).
After being shown around we were given our introduction packs and keys etc, I’m sharing an office with 2 others, Ken and Kevin, Ken is creating a business event networking software solution and Kevin is a multi disciplined photographer.
After another introduction we were walked over to Gladstone Pottery Museum for lunch, generously this was provided to us from the course, I had a mushroom soup and ham sandwich with a scone, cream and jam.
And got to know a it more about my office mates.
Afterwards we headed back to the Hothouse complex, grabbing a geocache on the way (the gladstone museum cache), introducing the two to one of my hobbies.
I called into see SMA studios and introduce myself to them before I left, they’re a CGI company you may recognise some of their adverts.
Then made my way home and indulged in watching ‘Better off Ted’, drinking a Hobgoblin, and cooked a great pork and wedges meal with my good friend Phil.
Now for more detail on our office situation; we’re all on a creative course, some making jewellery, others ceramics, one photographer and even a tea blending enthusiast, and we were offered suitable studio space to operate our businesses from, we’ve been designated 2-4people to an office each. Not suitable for a photo or animation studio. I think everyone raised their concerns afterwards. The thing is I’ve been lent a good office space, and between ken, kev and I we have the largest space, but it’s just not suitable for us, and no one wants to seem disrespectful or ungrateful.
Kev and myself were shown alternative space, much smaller but easier for myself to manage and block the light out. It’s still too small for Kev however who wanted to have enough space for a family of 5 to get in and pose have fun and feel relaxed in for photo sessions.
So initial thoughts are that I will get more from the training than the workspace offered alongside the training… There is a nice theatre presentation room in my complex though, would be great to do some screenings there.
I’ve attached some images of my shared office space.
Today I have a dentist appointment then a training session at the uni followed by my NVQ course session in the evening. Soooo BUSY BUSY BUSY. But I think Phil’s cooking up something tonight and picking up his busted laptop later too so, more US TV and hobgoblin I think.
Right I need to get ready. BYE!
The Office
Ken, Kev and rest of office
