Mihle Mvelakubi

Originally from Flagstaff, South Africa, Mihle Mvelakubi moved to Cape Town when he was in grade seven. Unfamiliar with the local language, Mihle struggled at school and joined the School of Skills where he was introduced to bricklaying. Despite discouragement from its administration staff, he followed his dream of enrolling in VET college for building and civil engineering, rising to the top three of his class. He was introduced to WorldSkills by a teacher and progressed from regional competitions to representing South Africa at WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017. He credits the School of Skills, often undervalued, for shaping his path and leading him to WorldSkills. Mihle is now a trainer at a VET college and owner of a bricklaying business. He advocates for systemic changes to ease transitions from the School of Skills to VET colleges and bridge educational gaps.