A spotlight on… Andre Vermeulen

WorldSkills is the leading platform for skills excellence, hosting the world’s largest skills competition every two years. For seven decades, the organization has continued to expand its global impact, driven by its vision to “improve our world with the power of skills”.

Ultimately, its success lies in its people – passionate advocates who transformed the seed of an idea in 1950 into a globally renowned skills movement. Among them is Andre Vermeulen, WorldSkills Honorary Member and a pivotal figure, whose journey epitomizes our organization’s spirit.

An unexpected role

Andre’s introduction to WorldSkills began exactly three decades ago when, at the last minute, he was selected to be WorldSkills South Africa’s Technical Delegate and attend WorldSkills Lyon 1995. He has been an active Volunteer ever since. He was made an Honorary Member in 2018 and was a key part of the Skill Competitions team at WorldSkills Lyon 2024.

Always an advocate for skills, Andre spent his early career setting up skills training programmes and inter-organizational competitions in Rail Engineering for his employer, Transnet (or South African Railways as it was known then). When the CEO of South Africa’s Institute of Welding learned about WorldSkills Competitions during an international welding conference, he urged South African industry partners to join so the country could take part in the biennial WorldSkills Competitions.

In the early 1990s, as South Africa was ridding itself of apartheid and welcoming the new democratically elected President Mandela, WorldSkills South Africa was busy training its young Competitors. Andre remembers being undeterred by their limited resources, turning to his employer to help sponsor his involvement. Then, when the current Technical Delegate could not attend, Andre found himself stepping into the role and heading off to France with Team South Africa to compete at the 33rd WorldSkills Competition in Lyon, France in 1995.

Joining a global family

Andre describes his first Competition as a transformative moment, saying, “That was a great experience. I fell in love with WorldSkills immediately and I have enjoyed every minute right up until now.”

He continues, “At first, I found it totally overwhelming. It was not at the scale WorldSkills is today as we were only 28 Member countries then. But you can imagine arriving there and not knowing anybody and having to pave your way and get involved. Then suddenly you find out just how easy it is to work with people at WorldSkills.”

Andre explains, “That’s why we talk about WorldSkills as a family. No matter how much work it is or how little sleep you end up getting, every two years you can’t wait to get back to see your family. And that’s how it goes.”

Shaping health and safety

One of Andre’s most significant contributions was his work continually improving health and safety. As WorldSkills Competitions grew in scale and complexity, so did the need for increased health and safety requirements.

Building capacity and supporting ambitions

Over the years, Andre has held many volunteer roles. He transitioned from Technical Delegate to Jury President where he supported more than 20 different skill competitions.

This broadened his understanding of what skills excellence looks like. He was able to take this knowledge back and help apply it to the standards of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) that young students and apprentices could access in South Africa.

He says, “Through WorldSkills, you get an insight into not only that particular skill area, but how things are assessed and evaluated, which is critical. Over the years, I have been applying a lot of these techniques in my company and also into the training centres throughout the country.”

Andre’s impact extended far beyond his home country. He was a key member of the team that set up the first regional WorldSkills Africa Competition in Kigali, Rwanda in 2018. He remembers how it brought him back to the importance of grassroots-level skills development.

He recalls, “Starting with nothing and building something meaningful was both challenging and exhilarating. That’s what WorldSkills does. It pushes countries out of their comfort zones and shows them what’s possible.”

Breaking from the norm

As well as looking back on his own journey and the impact that WorldSkills has had over 75 years, Andre believes WorldSkills has a powerful part to play in driving innovation in skills.

He reflects, “That was the most interesting part for me. I felt I could help develop a way forward for my skill. WorldSkills helps us think outside the box. It gives us the ability to learn from each other and reimagine what’s possible. It’s about breaking from the norm so we can keep pushing ourselves and striving for excellence.”

Andre’s journey shows how WorldSkills is a global stage where innovation, collaboration, and excellence converge. Its role, he believes, is critical to human development, saying, “WorldSkills opens your eyes to what’s possible, not just for the medal tables but for economic and social progress.”