By Kirstin Ferguson

Copyright brisbanetimes

Whatever the outcome, your senior leaders need to know that a new leader in their department is having this impact on people. This is not something that should be allowed to continue and hopefully either your new department head will be counselled or coached, so their behaviour is improved, or, if serious enough, they may find themselves removed.

I am almost halfway through an apprenticeship in an industry I do not like. I’ve already dropped out of three different degrees due to depression and anxiety, and have now ended up in a totally different field which I’m not confident in, nor interested in. I also feel I’m not gaining transferable skills upon completion. I’m tempted to look for entry-level jobs, as I’m passionate about helping others, but I’m worried about how an unfinished apprenticeship will look on my CV.

Please don’t worry about what an unfinished apprenticeship will look like on your CV if you are toiling away at something you don’t want to be doing. Your mental health matters more than anything, and it sounds as though further education, whether at university or through an apprenticeship, is just not for you at this stage in your life. And that is absolutely OK.

If you love helping people, which is a wonderful attribute to both have and know about yourself, then why not focus on that for now? Find the kind of entry-level role which will allow you to thrive and be at your best. Once you are feeling stronger after working in an industry you respect and value, and which respects and values you, the decisions about what might come next will be easier.