College launches recruitment drive to support Regional growth in electrical workforce

HUGH Baird College, in Merseyside, is calling on Electricians to consider becoming a teacher or assessor to help generate the electrical workforce of the future. The recruitment campaign launched today, 20 January, will encourage Electricians to pass down their skills, knowledge and experience to the next generation of budding electrical engineers, by becoming a Teacher or Assessor on a full or part time basis. Demand for electricians in the Liverpool City Region is burgeoning, with an expected 2% growth in jobs over the next 5 years and 20% of the workforce at retirement age within the next 10 years. The College has recently completed a substantial upgrade to its electrical installations teaching facilities and has announced an attractive package for those who join their teaching team.

Lynn Masterton, Assistant Principal of Business Engagement at Hugh Baird College, said:- "Our students and apprentices deserve nothing but the best education and that means we need teachers and assessors who have lived and breathed the industry and have a passion for sharing their knowledge.'We can offer applicants who wish to follow teaching the support to gain their teaching qualification and there are full and part time positions available in both teaching and assessing. We have a long list of staff benefits that include generous annual leave, pension schemes, healthcare plans and an employee discount platform.'"

Daniel Richards, Lead Assessor in Building Services, Business Management and Catering at Hugh Baird College, said:- "I spent over 10 years working as an Electrical Installer before I came into assessing. Toward the end of my time in the industry I wasn't feeling challenged. So, I had a decision to make; stay in my electrical role, or give myself a new break. My favourite part of my job is when a student or apprentice is struggling to grasp a piece of work fully and you need to guide and encourage them. Then they have that light-bulb moment. There is no greater joy than having an impact on a young person's future.'"

Those who are interested or want to find out more about becoming an Electrical Teacher or Assessor at Hugh Baird College can submit their details via a short form at:- HughBaird.AC.UK/ElectricalTeaching.
 

Landlord fined for letting out property without smoke alarms

A landlord is facing a bill of almost ₤5,000 for failing to install smoke detectors in a house he rented out to a young family, in a case brought by Liverpool City Council. The property, on Kingsheath Avenue, Liverpool 14, also had electrical sockets hanging off the wall, a broken light fitting and low window sills which were a danger to the 3 children living there. The front door had a smashed pane and was screwed shut, meaning the tenant had to use the kitchen door to get in and out of the house. Prop Yourself Limited of Derlwyn Cottage, Llanfair Road, Ruthin, pleaded guilty under the Housing Act 2004 to failing to comply with an Improvement Notice and was fined ₤4,000 plus costs of ₤760.63 and a ₤180 victim surcharge. At Liverpool Magistrates Court, District Judge Boswell noted that the cost of the repairs were relatively minor and that that the absence of fire detection put the tenants at risk of serious injury or worse. In a separate case:- Ahmed Kayse Ahmed, from Birmingham, was found guilty of failing to license a property on Beaconsfield Street, in Liverpool 8, between:- 15 September 2016 and 3 April 2019, under the Council's previous Landlord Licensing scheme, which ran from 2015-2020. He was fined ₤1,000 plus ₤1,000 costs and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of ₤100.

Councillor Sarah Doyle, Cabinet Member for Strategic Housing and Regeneration, said:- "Being a landlord brings with it responsibilities in making sure that tenants can live in safety and comfort. It is shocking that in this case a landlord was quite happy to take rent but unwilling to spend a small amount of money on smoke alarms, making electrics safe and repairing a front door. We are determined to take action against landlords if they put tenants at risk and our new Landlord Licensing scheme will give us the ability to redouble our efforts to intervene and force action to improve properties. All of this form part of our determination to raise standards and improve the City's neighbourhoods for residents."

In April 2022, Liverpool City Council will launch a brand new Landlord Licensing scheme covering 80% of privately rented homes, as part of a drive to improve standards across the sector.