Vaughan Constructions Cadet, Daniel Raphael, was awarded with two awards at the RMIT University's 2022 Property, Construction and Project Management Awards.
One was the Building Engineering Safety in Construction Projects award for his thesis that looks into the state of mental health in the Australian construction industry.
The second award was for his student group who achieved the highest grade in Construction Planning and Design 3 in Semester 1, 2022.
For Daniel’s thesis, he initially focused his research on mental health in Australia as a whole, before examining issues relating to workplace culture in the construction industry more specifically.
He also looked at external factors that play a role in mental health. The purpose of this research was to highlight the progress that has been in made in addressing these issues, while also highlighting where changes are required.
Key findings from his research showed that workplace safety culture, relationships and employment conditions are the most significant factors contributing to workers’ mental health.
He concluded that workplace culture reform would require further implementation of mental health educational resources and greater organisational support. The ideal outcome of this reform would be the normalisation of mental health discussions and the promotion of help-seeking behaviour in the construction industry as the sector continues to grow.
Daniel is currently studying a Bachelor of Applied Science in Construction Management (Honours) at RMIT.
The Vaughan team is incredibly proud of Daniel for these impressive achievements. Well done Daniel!