It could be a strain being a workman (7)
I believe the answer is:
artisan
'workman' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Skilled workman' mean 'artisan' so perhaps 'workman' could also mean 'artisan')
'it could be a strain being a' is the wordplay.
'it could be' is an anagram indicator (the same letters could be an anagram).
'being a' becomes 'a'.
'strain'+'a'='straina'
'straina' anagrammed gives 'ARTISAN'.
(Other definitions for artisan that I've seen before include "craftsman of his trade" , "one in command of craft?" , "man with skill" , "Sinatra (anag) -- skilled manual worker" , "Smith" .)