Building confidence through connection: Nkopodi Kgofelo on empowering South Africa’s Ultra-Span communities
When it comes to building trust, transferring skills, and empowering communities, few people embody MiTek South Africa’s training ethos quite like Nkopodi Kgofelo.
Known across sites from the city to the most remote corners of the country, Nkopodi is more than a trainer, he’s a bridge between technology and people. Fluent in 11 South African languages, he connects with learners in their own words, ensuring every Ultra-Span installation delivers the quality, safety, and precision that MiTek is known for.
From factory floor to national trainer
Nkopodi joined MiTek in 2007 after years of hands-on experience managing a customer factory. Back then, he was responsible for design and production machinery; a role that gave him deep insight into both MiTek systems and customer needs.
“It was Cedric from MiTek who first saw the gap,” Nkopodi recalls. “He said, ‘We’re selling machines and systems across South Africa, but we need someone who can train our clients to use them confidently.’ That’s how I started; travelling across the country, learning every process, and helping others do the same.”
What began as a one-year trial quickly became a lifelong mission. Today, Nkopodi spends his time training Ultra-Span clients, helping them to build smarter, safer, and faster.
Training that transforms
Nkopodi’s training focuses on two key areas:
- On-site Ultra-Span installation, working directly with construction teams to assemble and install truss systems correctly.
- Factory training, guiding production teams to operate MiTek machinery efficiently and safely.
“I usually train the team leaders, maybe five or six at a time,” Nkopodi explains. “They become champions within their business, sharing what they’ve learned with 20 or more colleagues. We spend two days together on-site, working through every step hands-on. Then they undertake around 200 hours before we come back for assessment.”
That practical, personal approach pays off.
“In the first instance, people are asking ‘wow, how are you going to join this?’ But I’m a very hands-on person. I get involved and show them physically, so they can see the whole product coming together. Even tiny details like how to put the screws in. Or using the right torque on the drilling machine so you don’t over-drill.”
“Within those two days, the attitude changes entirely and once they see the structure come together, their confidence grows. By the end, they love it. That change in attitude is the best part of my job.”
Building skills, and futures
Beyond technical expertise, Nkopodi’s work has a powerful social impact. Ultra-Span’s lightweight, easy-to-transport design makes it ideal for use in rural and underserved areas and his training helps turn local labour into qualified installers.
“The advantage is that I can talk different languages. South Africa has 11 official languages; I speak all of them. The guys on the ground make the connection and understand the material very easily when you’re talking in their mother tongue.”
“So now, we’ve got people coming from areas of traditionally high unemployment who know how to work with Ultra-Span. And even when training more experienced people from other disciplines, carpenters who are used to working with timber, for example. Even then, you’re still helping expand the local pool of skills.”
Through his work, Nkopodi trains around 65 people each year, helping hundreds over time gain new qualifications and opportunities. And, that ripple effect is huge, it strengthens local economies and helps create a more skilled, mobile workforce. Supporting both community development and national infrastructure goals.
The MiTek promise: support that stays
MiTek’s commitment to quality doesn’t end with a sale. Through Nkopodi and his colleagues, Ultra-Span clients receive personalised, on-the-ground support that ensures they get the best from the technology and their people.
“People are definitely getting more confident as the years have gone on. Designs are getting more complex, more ambitious. We’re giving more detailed advice now, which is good. I always say, if customers aren’t sure about the best way to use a MiTek product, they can and should always ask.”
For MiTek, training is part of the core promise to customers: advanced technology, supported by real human expertise. And for Nkopodi, it’s evident this is more than a job. It’s a passion for connecting with people, unlocking their potential, and building a stronger South Africa.
“Every site is different, every team is different,” Nkopodi smiles. “But when you speak their language, they know you’re there for them. And that changes everything.”
