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 16th, 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.
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:
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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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.
Become a Female Electrician with Access Training UK
If you’re interested in starting your career as a female electrician, Access Training UK can help get you where you want to be. We offer a variety of courses for all skill levels, and our courses are flexible and adaptable, allowing you to achieve your goals at your own pace.
Whether you’re a beginner that’s completely new to the sparky business, or are an existing professional looking to add a few extra strings to your bow, we have a course designed to suit you. Checkout the list down below for a 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:
Trade Professional Courses
For the more seasoned professional, we offer the following courses, designed to expand your existing knowledge:
If you’d like to find out more information about how you can train to come a female electrician, or more detail about the different courses we offer, reach out and contact us today. A member of our first-class customer service team will be more than happy to run through the different courses we offer and help you find the right option for you.
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Last updated 5th July 2022
Read More: Women in Plumbing: What Problems Do Female Plumbers Face?