Introduction / Background
Earlier this year, I delivered a Mental Health First Aid course within a large engineering company. It was an environment where deadlines, pressure around safety standards and long project cycles often created the perfect storm for stress and burnout. The organisation had recently seen an increase in sickness absence related to stress and anxiety, and there had been a few near miss incidents linked to employees working while mentally overwhelmed. Leadership realised that technical skill alone was not enough. They needed a culture that supported psychological wellbeing just as actively as physical safety. With national data showing that Mental Health First Aid training can reduce mental health related absenteeism by up to 12 percent and increase help seeking behaviours by almost 30 percent, the case for structured training was clear.

Learning Objectives
During my early discussions with managers three challenges stood out. Teams did not feel confident recognising early signs of distress. Line managers felt uncomfortable initiating supportive conversations. The organisation also lacked consistent internal pathways for escalating concerns safely. I designed the training to address these needs directly. Our learning objectives focused on recognising early warning signs, using practical communication techniques and understanding internal and external support routes. Above all, I wanted participants to appreciate that Mental Health First Aid is not about fixing people. It is about noticing, listening and guiding them towards the right support.

Methodology / Solution
Across the two day course I used scenario based learning, group discussion and examples drawn from engineering settings. Together we explored likely pressure points such as tight project deadlines, remote working, long rotations and the isolation that sometimes comes with design focused roles. Participants worked in small groups to develop a simple and realistic Mental Health First Aid plan that the organisation could implement right away. This included a small peer support network, clearer reporting pathways and a commitment to offering refresher sessions at set intervals.

Each participant left with practical tools they could use immediately. They gained confidence in starting supportive conversations, learned how to signpost colleagues to professional help and developed a better understanding of how stigma often delays early intervention. Several people shared that they had previously sensed when something was wrong with a colleague but did not know how to approach the situation. By the end of the course that uncertainty had shifted into confidence and clarity.

Results / Outcomes
The feedback was extremely positive. Many appreciated the realism of the scenarios and the open space to talk. One participant told me it was the first time they felt genuinely equipped to speak about mental health at work. Four weeks after the training I held a follow up check in with the coordinators. They reported that wellbeing conversations were happening more naturally and that two employees had already approached trained first aiders for support. This was a clear early sign that the stigma barrier was beginning to soften.

Survey and interview data supported this shift. The organisation benefited from having a clear reason for introducing the training, motivated coordinators and the early foundations of a Mental Health First Aid network. These factors contributed strongly to the positive perception of the course.

Lessons Learned and Recommendations
One key lesson for me was the importance of embedding Mental Health First Aid into the existing health and safety culture rather than presenting it as a separate initiative. Visible leadership support also helped participants feel valued and encouraged.

For future action I recommended six monthly check ins for all Mental Health First Aiders and regular refresher training so that skills and confidence are maintained. Most importantly I encouraged the organisation to continue reinforcing the message that asking for support is a sign of courage rather than weakness.