Mihle Mvelakubi

Mihle Mvelakubi represented South Africa in Bricklaying at WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017. Originally from Flagstaff, South Africa, he moved to Cape Town in grade seven. Unfamiliar with the local language, Afrikaans, he was labeled a slow learner and advised to join the School of Skills, an alternative education path for students struggling in mainstream schooling. There, he was introduced to bricklaying.

Despite being discouraged by some school teachers, Mihle pursued his dream of enrolling in a VET college for building and civil engineering. The transition was challenging, but with extra classes and peer support, he rose to the top three in his class. At this stage, his bricklaying lecturer introduced him to WorldSkills, and through dedication and rigorous training, he earned a place on the global stage. He credits the often-overlooked School of Skills for laying his foundation and the VET college for setting him on this path.

Now, Mihle is a Building School Coordinator and trainer at Corobrik, and owns a bricklaying business. He is also serving his second term as WorldSkills Champions Trust representative for Africa. Passionate about empowering others, he advocates for systemic changes to ease transitions from the School of Skills to VET colleges and bridge educational gaps – ensuring more young people have the opportunity to build successful futures.