A young apprentice has been praised for opening up at work on R U OK? Day. He didn’t even need a forced HR morning tea to alert everyone to his current state. He did it the old-fashioned way and downed a ridiculous amount of Monster energy drink before smoko.
We spoke to a senior tradesman on site who said he immediately noticed his young coworker was struggling. He told The Times,
“Look, you down 2 of those bad boys before smoko, and no one bats an eyelid but 4? That’s hectic. Got me thinking if we’re working the boy too hard. So I sat him down for a dart and he spoke about life and that”
Turns out the young man was going through some teenage relationship drama and hearing a senior tradie talking about how much fingerbangeroonies he does in the average week really picked his spirits up. He told The Times,
“He told me that once I’m fully qualified I’d be fending it off with a stick. He then explained in excruciating detail each and every encounter he’s had in the last 2 months. I felt a lot better about my situation I have to say. I’m a bit down in the dumps but at least I’ve never done that in a piss-soaked cubicle at the pub”
It was a heartwarming scene of coworkers looking out for each other without the need to wear yellow or engage in shameless corporate box-ticking to make it feel like a difference has been made.
We asked the apprentice if he’d be more open with his struggles in the past. Rather than chasing the drywall-dragon. He told The Times,
“Yeah, a little chat does wonder but I might speak to one of the tradies who has less graphic stories. I can’t get many of the things he said out of my head. I don’t want to borrow his tools either. Good bloke but i’d have him on a register”
Well done son, onwards and upwards.
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