A gas engineer in St Columb will be sentenced after carrying out dozens of jobs in people’s homes without the relevant qualifications.

Darren Masters had apparently serviced and installed boilers, as well as fitting gas hobs and gas fires, leaving numerous homes in danger.

Rogue Trader Full of Hot Air

The 33-year-old pleaded guilty to 11 charges of breaching safety regulations, carrying out the work without being on the Gas Safety Register.

Despite not being a registered gas engineer, Mr Masters falsely claimed to be a fully-fledged member of the Gas Safety Register in order to secure work.

After pleading guilty at the Truro Magistrates’ Court on December 16^th, the case was adjourned to the seriousness of the crime and sent to the Truro Crown Court for sentencing in the New Year.

Dangers of Poorly Fitted Gas Fixtures

Gas fittings and fixtures that have been improperly installed carry with them a wide variety of potentially life-threatening hazards.

A faulty installation can release poisonous carbon monoxide which can be fatal, as a result. Meanwhile, a gas leak can also lead to significant fire hazards and even cause an explosion.

Gas Training Courses at Access Training UK

The incident once again highlights how vital appropriate training really is when it comes to gas safety. By-passing such qualifications can have serious consequences on both the fitter and the customer, with potentially devastating results all-round.

If you are thinking of exploring a career as a gas engineer, Access Training UK can help you do it right. We have a variety of gas courses available to ensure you enter the trade fully capable of carrying out gas work safely, efficiently and correctly.

Check out our relevant courses below to find out what we can offer you in terms of gas training options:

• Essential Gas Course 

• Professional Gas Course 

• Premier Gas Course 

• ACS Initial Assessment

• ACS Reassessment

• LPG – Liquid Petroleum Gas Training

For more information on the gas training courses available at Access Training UK, why not drop us a line today? Call now on 0800 345 7492 or get in touch online by clicking the button below.

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A self-employed builder that won the EuroMillions jackpot has returned to work this December, despite being set for life by the monumental win.

Steve Thomson of Selsey, West Sussex won a colossal £105m in the EuroMillions on November 19^th, instantly transforming his life overnight.

However, the 42-year-old construction worker has kept his promise to fulfil his job commitments and can be currently found lugging boxes and driving his old van as usual.

The Value of Service

The EuroMillions win gives Steve a net worth higher than both Daniel Radcliffe (£90m) and Harry Styles (£64m), making him the ninth biggest winner in the history of the National Lottery.

Regardless of his bank account value, the value of quality service clearly means just as much to Thomson, who continues to honour his word and his commitments this winter.

While he could very easily be catching rays on a tropical beach, the humble labourer continues to help out his business partner with jobs lined up over the Christmas period.

A Total Legend

Described by locals as a “total legend”, Thomson aims to be “sensibly generous” with his winnings, adding that he wants to do whatever he can to help his local community along the way.

Speaking after the win, the loyal builder had this to say:

“Once I’m over the shock I’ll need to keep doing something - I’m not the type just to sit still. My business partner knows if he needs a hand I’ll be there.”

Constructing A Future

The incredible story shows that once a builder, always a builder, and that money doesn’t always have to change the person.

In the case of Mr Thomson, his love and passion for his business and the building trade stays strong, even though he no longer needs to lift a finger, proving once again how fun and infectious a self-employed business and the “be your own boss” mindset can be.

If you would like to begin your career in the world of construction, with the aim of one day being your own boss, here at Access Training UK, we can help you achieve just that with our wide variety of construction courses.

Construction Courses at Access Training UK

Whether you’re a total newbie hoping to take a completely new career path or an experienced veteran looking to revitalise your skills, Access Training UK has the ability to make your dreams a reality.

Our courses range from DIY carpentry and plastering courses for entry-level candidates, all the way up to NVQ Level 2 carpentry and plastering courses for those looking to add a few extra strings to their constructive bows.

For more information on any of the construction courses available at Access Training UK, why not drop us a line today? Call 0800 345 7492 now or get in touch online by clicking the button below.

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After an intensive three-day practical, promising young plumber, Connor Cruden, has been named the SkillPLUMB champion for 2019 at the WorldSkills UK LIVE event in Birmingham.

Runners up included 21-year-old Kyle McGeoghie of Perth College UHI and 22-year-old Anthony Iacovazzo of City College Norwich, who achieved second and third place respectively.

Boiling Point

While the plumbing trade probably isn’t the first industry that springs to mind when you think of awards, honours and prizes, it’s that fact that makes the SkillPLUMB gong all the more prestigious in the world of professional plumbing.

Primarily aimed at apprentices and young tradespeople, finalists were tasked with completing a number of tricky practical assessments in order to test their skills and separate the best from the rest.

As part of the final trial, contestants were asked to install a sealed domestic central heating system with expansion vessel, pump and ancillary equipment. This included a radiator, unvented hot water cylinder and a boiler, along with the relevant copper pipework.

To further add to the intense pressure of this demanding task, all of this was to be completed under strict time constraints and ultimately scrutinised by expert judges against a challenging criterion.

Beating out competition from other regional finalists, Cruden will now be given the opportunity to compete in the Grundfos Installer Championship in Milan in March of next year.

Role Models

In addition to booking his place in the 2020 Grundfos Installer Championship in Italy, Cruden’s win also puts him into contention to be part of Team UK at the global WorldSkills 2021 competition in Shanghai, China.

Following the triumph, Cruden had these words to say:

“The competition has been brilliant and I am really proud to be leaving with the gold medal. It was really challenging working under pressure but I just did my best.”

Chairman of the British Plumbing Employers Council also spoke of the victory:

“The standard of work this year has been exceptional. The finalists are all excellent ambassadors for the industry and brilliant role models for other young people who are considering a plumbing career.”

Become a World-Class Plumber with Access Training UK

While such an achievement may seem out of reach for anyone thinking of entering the world of plumbing, it’s important to remember that every journey begins with that single first step.

At Access Training UK, we can help you achieve that first step and help you come on leaps and bounds with our wide variety of plumbing courses.

Whether you’re a complete novice or an experienced pro looking to add to your repertoire of skills, Access Training UK has the plumbing course for you.

Read on for a quick rundown of the various plumbing courses we have on offer at ATUK:

Essential Plumbing Course

Learn the basics needed to become a domestic plumber (no experience required).

Professional Plumbing Course

A comprehensive course to become a fully-qualified plumber (no experience required).

Premier Plumbing Course

Combined course allowing you to earn plumbing and gas qualifications simultaneously (no experience required).

Bathroom Fitting Course

This course will equip you with all the skills and knowledge needed to install bathrooms (no experience required).

Unvented Hot Water Storage Systems

If you’re already a plumber or heating engineer, this course teaches you how to install and maintain unvented hot water storage systems

WRAS - Water Regulations Advisory Scheme

Completion of this course provides you with ‘approved contractor’ status by your local water authority- a pre-requisite for many employers.

NVQ Level 2 Certification – For Experienced Site Plumbers

This fast-track NVQ programme is designed for experienced plumbers looking to gain NVQ Level 2 Diploma quickly with minimal fuss.

For more information on any of the plumbing training courses available at Access Training UK, why not drop us a line today? Call now on 0800 345 7492 or click the button below to get in touch online.

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Recent research has once again highlighted the overwhelming lack of female electricians currently in the UK electrical industry.

According to TradeSparky, out of over 250k British electricians, only around 2000 are female. This figure equates to a shocking 1% of the entire contingent of electricians in the UK.

A Man’s World?

The figures highlight the fact that the tradesperson industry is a male-dominated field and one that is severely lacking in female participation.

Worse still, the pattern of a predominantly male workforce does nothing to spark female involvement and continues this trend further, as female uptake remains minimal.

However, the shocking stats don’t stop there. In addition to the inequality in gender employment, the imbalance also extends to the pay scale as well.

Further to the incredible disparity between male and female participation figures, there is also a gender pay gap of just over £3.5k.

Also according to TradeSparky, men receive an average annual wage of approximately £34.5 while women walk away with just under £31k.

Crossed Wires

Despite these male-skewed statistics, the tide is turning with each passing year with regards to equality in the workplace and the electrical trade does actually pose a great deal of opportunity for women looking to get into the manual trades profession.

In fact, when compared to average annual salary figures published by the Office of National Statistics, the average female electrician earns more than many other professions, such as legal associates (£29k), graphic designers (£27k), police community support officers (£27k), ambulance staff (£23k) and dental nurses (£18k).

What’s more, Direct Line for Business also revealed that 29% of UK adults would prefer to hire a woman to work on their home plumbing, if given the choice.

Electrician Training with Access Training UK

If you’re a woman looking to take those first steps into a career in the electrical trade, Access Training UK can help you get where you want to go.

With a wide variety of courses for all skill levels, our electrician courses are fundamentally designed to help you achieve your electrical goals at a pace that suits you.

Whether you’re a total novice that’s completely new to the business or an existing professional looking to add a few strings to your electrical bow, we have the course for you.

Check out the below for the full rundown of exactly what electrician courses we have available at Access Training UK.

New Career Courses

Perfect for those with little to no experience, our beginner courses include the following:

Essential Electrical Course

Professional Electrician Course

Premier Electrical Course

Trade Professional Courses

For the more seasoned professional, we offer the following courses, designed to expand your existing knowledge:

Part P Domestic Electrical Installer

18^th Edition

Part P & 18^th Edition

PAT Testing

Initial Verification

Periodic Inspection & Testing

Fundamental Inspection Testing

Combined Inspection & Testing

Electrical Design Course

For more information on any of the electrician courses listed above, why not drop us a line today? Call now on 0800 345 7492 or get in touch online by clicking the button below.

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