5 July 2024

Making Our Mark: Muhamad

Making Our Mark shares the stories of young, skilled people who are building a better world. That is literally the case for Malaysian bricklayer, Muhamad Din, who is using his skills to inspire the next generation of students by setting up the country’s first-ever training centre for Bricklaying.

Malaysian bricklayer, Muhamad Din, giving the thumbs up as part of the Making Our Mark series.

Bricklaying is present in every village, town, and city. It is highly visible and its importance is understood by all. It is a vital part of any country’s development. Muhamad Din loves that his skill is so fundamental to people’s lives. He reflects, “From the moment we wake up to the minute we go to sleep, the buildings and structures around us are the places in which much of daily life happens. Buildings mean shelter, spaces to live and work, to store belongings, and [where we] come together as a society.”

However, the highly technical skills needed as a bricklayer are not always fully appreciated. After his success representing Malaysia in Bricklaying at WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017, Muhamad decided to channel his own talents into coaching new students and raising the standards of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in his home country. How? By creating the first-ever specialist bricklaying training centre in Malaysia, called Mallon Training Centre.

Through the centre, Muhamad is equipping the next generation of bricklayers with the specialist knowledge and practical training they need to become highly skilled professionals in their field. He is drawing on his own Competition experience and the WorldSkills Occupational Standards to raise the bar and encourage his students to be the best they can be.

Malaysian bricklayer, Muhamad Din, sharing his experience of bricklaying to an audience.

Muhamad is also sharing his experience of international travel and overseas training with his students. Through his involvement in WorldSkills, he was invited to work in the United Kingdom as a contract bricklayer for a number of months. There, he was able to see how his craft was taught and practiced in another country. He has taken these insights back to his centre, where he trains his students on UK bricklaying methods. He says, “After completing their training, my students are offered a work placement opportunity in the UK, which adds great value to their knowledge and experience.”

As an Expert for WorldSkills Malaysia, Muhamad is also looking for those young people who show the potential to go further and compete in WorldSkills Competitions and maybe even make it all the way to represent Malaysia at an international Competition, just as he did. He describes all his students as his “WorldSkills Malaysia family,” and it is clear through his mentorship how committed he is to nurture their talent.

Muhamad is taking his skills and paying it forward to the next generation. His story is a powerful example of how TVET can inspire young students, support the growth of an essential industry, and forge deeper connections between countries. As Muhamad says, “Bricklaying is a good career for my community in Malaysia. I am now sharing job opportunities with my beloved talented youth in my country. I have always believed that skills empower your future, and the result is that I now own the first bricklaying training centre in Malaysia.”

If you want to learn about the young skilled people who are having impact in the world, visit the Making Our Mark campaign website and read their stories.