About 150 apprentices attended the HALT Save Your Bacon breakfast to hear from its co-founder Jeremy Forbes and those working in the field of mental health about the warning signs of mental illness and where they could seek help for themselves or their friends.

Mr Forbes told the young crowd gathered that he was motivated to form HALT – which stands for Hope Assistance Local Tradies - in 2013 following the suicide of a tradesman he knew in Castlemaine.

“At his funeral, I heard people say ‘Who’s next?’” Mr Forbes said.

Mr Forbes, a painter decorator by trade himself, told the Bendigo Advertiser that there was a stigma surrounding mental illness in the traditionally male-dominated trade industries and a masculine culture that discouraged tradespeople from opening up about their mental health and any issues they were experiencing.

He said he wanted to break through these barriers and build a bridge between tradespeople and support services.

“It’s knowing when to seek help and where, and you know what, that it’s OK,” Mr Forbes said.

He said the issue was particularly important for apprentices because they were at a “critical juncture in their lives” where they were starting to become independent and earn an income, which could trigger mental health issues.

Mr Forbes hoped the event, where apprentices could pick up a free hot breakfast provided by the Bendigo Sandhurst Rotary Club and a bag with information on support services, would spark conversations about mental health among the young tradespeople.

“If I leave you with anything today, please look after each other and look after yourselves,” he said to the crowd.

Lifeline Central Victoria and Mallee chief executive officer Leo Schultz said there was a significant emphasis on physical safety in the trades, but he wanted to see the same focus on mental health as well.

Mr Schultz said six times as many people in the construction industry died by suicide than in a workplace accident, and apprentices were two and a half times more likely to die by suicide than other people the same age.

Bendigo TAFE construction co-ordinator Kieran Moroni and painting and decorating teacher Shane Kennedy said the institution first became involved with HALT by going to events at trade outlets and encouraging students to attend, and then decided it was appropriate to tackle the issue with the apprentices directly.

Mr Moroni said they wanted to break down the concept among young men that it was not “cool” to talk about the pressures and issues they might face.

Second-year painting and decorating apprentice Ryan Harvey was among the students who attended.

“It’s a good piece of information, I like to know what’s out there and where to go if I need it,” he said.

Wednesday’s breakfast was the third held at Bendigo TAFE and while the impact was difficult to measure, Mr Moroni said more students were starting to seek support on-campus.

The breakfast was also attended by headspace and Bendigo Community Health Services.

If you are in urgent need of assistance, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.

For more information and assistance, call beyondblue on 1300 22 4636 or headspace on 1800 650 890.