Understanding Mental Health in the Construction Sector
Construction is one of the most physically demanding and hazardous industries in the world. The long hours, heavy workloads, high-risk environments and constant pressure to
Support for Construction Education Providers
Practical mental health support, lived experience and honest conversations for colleges, universities, apprenticeship providers and training organisations preparing people for careers in construction.
Support for Education Providers
Supporting the Next Generation of Construction
Construction education is about more than developing technical skills. The people entering the industry today will also experience deadlines, long hours, workplace pressures, changing environments, responsibility and the realities of working within construction.
Colleges, universities, apprenticeship providers and training organisations have an important opportunity to start conversations around mental health before learners enter the industry full-time.
Onward Shift brings lived experience from construction together with practical mental health support, helping learners understand that looking after their wellbeing should be part of their career from the very beginning.
Our aim is simple: create conversations that feel relevant, honest and connected to the industry they are preparing to enter.
Preparing People for More Than the Job
Learners spend years developing the practical knowledge they need to become electricians, engineers, project managers, tradespeople and construction professionals but working life can bring challenges that cannot always be taught from a textbook.
Stress. Pressure. Confidence. Failure. Relationships. Loneliness. Mental health. Asking for help when something does not feel right.
Starting these conversations during education can help learners become more aware of their own wellbeing, recognise when somebody around them may be struggling and understand where support is available. It does not need to be a corporate presentation or a lecture about mental health. Sometimes hearing an honest story from somebody who has worked in the industry can start a conversation that stays with someone for years.
Who Is This Support For?
Onward Shift works with organisations helping people prepare for careers within construction and the built environment. This can include colleges, universities, construction academies, apprenticeship providers, technical training organisations and other education providers supporting learners aged 16 and over. Support can be used with apprentices, full-time students, adult learners, university students and people preparing to enter construction for the first time. Whether you want to organise a one-off conversation, introduce additional wellbeing resources or build mental health support into the wider learner experience, we can explore what is appropriate for your organisation.
Start With One Conversation
You do not need to completely redesign your wellbeing programme to make a difference. It could start with one keynote speaker sharing their lived experience. One toolbox talk that gives tutors a reason to open a conversation. One podcast shared with a class. One free resource placed somewhere learners will see it. Small conversations can lead to bigger ones. The aim is to give education providers practical ways of introducing mental health into the learner journey without turning it into another corporate presentation.
Support for Education Providers
Free Resources
Testimonials
Frequently Asked Questions
No. We can support colleges, universities, apprenticeship providers, training organisations and other education providers working with people preparing for careers within construction and the built environment.
Our wider education resources are primarily designed for learners aged 16 and over. Some individual services may involve additional safeguarding, consent or suitability requirements depending on the learner and type of support being provided.
Yes. Keynotes, talks and other sessions can be delivered in person depending on location, requirements and speaker availability. Online delivery may also be available.
Yes. Before delivering a session, we can discuss your learners, their stage of education and the challenges or topics you would particularly like addressed.
The aim is for the conversation to feel relevant to the people actually sitting in the room.
Yes. Onward Shift has a growing library of free blogs, podcasts, newsletters and other mental health resources which education providers can share with learners and staff.
No. A large part of the work is preventative.
Someone may simply want to understand themselves better, learn from another person's experiences, build confidence, prepare for working life or understand where support is available before they ever need it.
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