Thursday, September 3, 2020

Mental Health and Well-Being in Apprenticeship (Part 1 of 3)

There is a unique set of stressors within skilled trades. Thankfully, there are also coping strategies that are proven to help

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By Kari-Anne March, Marketing Coordinator, CLAC Career Development College & CLAC Training, Alberta

As mental health and well-being becomes an increasingly prevalent national topic, it is critical that we explore the impacts that mental health has on our workforce. The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF-FCA) has released Apprentice Well-Being: An Apprentices in Canada ePanel Report, allowing industry to dive into the real-life responses of Canadian apprentices on their own experiences and the impact working in the trades has on their mental health and overall well-being.

Join us in in this three-part blog series, as we work to better understand mental health and its impacts on our workforce while striving to become better mental health advocates for all Canadians.

Part 1 will explore the most common stressors Canadian apprentices face, how they apply to work-life balance, and how our apprentices cope with these stressors. By better understanding the stressors that impact apprentices, we can begin to work toward better solutions, proactively improving overall well-being and creating better workplaces and better lives.

OVERALL HEALTH

While at least 68 percent of all surveyed apprentices feel that they have good or very good physical health, only 62 percent of men and 41 percent of women believe that they have good or very good mental health. As the two types of health are intricately connected, researchers explored the stressors that might negatively impact overall health. The top stressors were identified as

• Physical pain preventing apprentices from working
• Not enough personal time available to see a physician
• Not having access to free counselling and other support services, a concern expressed by 15 percent of surveyed apprentices

EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND FINANCIAL STABILITY

Forty-two percent of surveyed apprentices named financial and employment concerns as significant stressors. Given the unpredictable nature of the construction industry, many workers struggle to find consistent or reliable employment.

Attending technical training also acts as a stressor as apprentices face challenges with

• Managing time away from work and family to attend technical training
• Paying for school and personal expenses while taking time off work
• Passing technical training theory and practical examinations

BULLYING, HARASSMENT, AND DISCRIMINATION

Twenty-four percent of surveyed apprentices identified workplace bullying, harassment, or discrimination as a negative stressor on their overall well-being. More than half of these apprentices also claim that bullying or harassment occurs on a weekly (34 percent) or daily (19 percent) basis and is generally targeted based on gender, technical ability, race, sexual orientation, religion, age or education level, and physical characteristics.

COPING STRATEGIES USED BY APPRENTICES TO DEAL WITH WORKPLACE STRESSORS

• 64 percent — Take time for themselves
• 62 percent — Engage in hobbies
• 61 percent — Spend time with family
• 57 percent — Spend time with friends
• 46 percent — Exercise
• 33 percent — Consume drugs or alcohol
• 16 percent — Smoke cigarettes
• 13 percent — Take prescription medication for mental health
• 9 percent — Seek counselling

While the most common strategies listed above are generally healthy ways to cope with stress, they do little to decrease or eliminate the original source of the stressor. Although several solutions exist today, bringing more awareness to these specific stressors and the negative impacts they have on our workforce allows industry stakeholders an opportunity to challenge each stressor directly and improve the overall well-being of Canadian apprentices.

EXISTING SOLUTIONS

• Free or low-cost counselling services provided for workers through union or employer benefits programs, such as CLAC’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP).
• Improved access to healthcare and counselling resources through digital technologies.
• Numerous financial supports are available to apprentices through the Canada Apprentice Loan, Apprenticeship Incentive Grant, Apprenticeship Completion Grant, and other union or employer supports such as the CLAC’s Apprenticeship Reimbursement or apprentice awards and scholarships.
• Several organizations offer programs to underrepresented groups to boost confidence, improve representation, and reduce discrimination on the job, including Women Building Futures, AWES, Action for Healthy Communities, and more.
• CLAC Training programs are consistently developed and provided for both employees and employers to decrease workplace stressors, improve diversity and inclusion, and create a safe work environment for all, such as Creating a Safe and Respectful Workplace.

To access the full Apprentice Well-Being: An Apprentices in Canada ePanel Report, visit the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum website.

Become a better mental health advocate. Check out our Mental Health Training Programs.

Are you or someone you know struggling with mental health? Free help is available 24/7.
Crisis Services Canada: Call 1-833-456-4566 | Text 45645

Mental Health and Well-Being in Apprenticeship (Part 1 of 3)

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