Industry Charity Raises Mental Health Awareness for Electrical Apprentices

The Electrical Industries Charity (EIC) visited Loughborough College last week to speak with JTL Electrical Apprentices and T-Level Electrical students about their ongoing mission to look after the mental wellbeing of apprentices, employees, retired colleagues, and their immediate families within the electrical community.

In an inspiring talk, EIC focused their work and the importance of prioritising your mental health and wellbeing, and included important advice, such as signs to look out for when someone is struggling from emotional and behavioural distress to physical problems.

The charity, which has been going for 120 years offers confidential and practical support along with emergency financial aid and advice to people who work in the electrical industry.

Encouraging students and apprentices to speak more openly about mental health and wellbeing, members of the EIC’s welfare team also discussed other organisations that offer help. This included the Hub of Hope the UK’s largest mental health support directory bringing together local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support services all in one place.

Apprentices and students also learnt about EIC’s online learning platform that has been created to empower apprentices with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate challenges that they may face during their lives.

Supervising Technician for Electrical at Loughborough College, Keith Large said: “Mental and physical wellbeing is paramount to the line of work our students and apprentices will go into. In such a high-pressure environment, taking care of yourself and your peers can’t be underestimated.

“Our students were engaged and keen to learn more about how they can better understand mental health, and we were so grateful for EIC’s open and inspiring talk.”