From Struggle to Support: An Apprentice’s Path Through Grief

When Tom lost his close friend Steve to cancer, he struggled to process his grief while continuing his apprenticeship studies, he didn’t know how to process his grief or who to turn to for help. At the time he was training as an electrical apprentice, and while Tom was keeping up with his studies the best he could, he was suffering in private.

However, his struggle hadn’t gone unnoticed. His lecturer Michael noticed the change in him and made a simple but crucial intervention: encouraging him to reach out for support. Tom opened up about his friend Steve’s death, how he was struggling to cope with his grief, and that he didn’t know where to put or how to process his emotions.

Michael suggested getting in contact with the Electrical Industries Charity (EIC) who would be able to provide practical and effective assistance that could give him the tools he needs to process this tragedy. Through ten sessions with a grief counsellor, Tom was able to confront his emotions, find healthier ways to cope, and regain a sense of balance in both his personal life and studies.

Tom was able to come to terms with the loss of his friend and learnt the tools he needed to continue to cope with his friend’s passing. Tom hadn’t heard of the EIC before but was able to work through his grief now that he knew he wasn’t alone in it.

Following his sessions he kindly sent a note thanking the team for getting him through a really tough time. “Thank you once again for everything. Your work has truly meant a lot to me, and I deeply appreciate all the support you’ve given.”

Find out more about the EIC’s Apprentice Support Programme (ASP) here.