Armenia wins its first medal of excellence at the WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 International Competition

The 48th WorldSkills International Competition has concluded in Shanghai, China. Armenia participated with a national team in three skill categories: Cooking, Mobile Applications Development, and Fashion Technology. This was reported by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia.

During the competition, Armenian representative Arsen Armenakyan, a graduate of the Yerevan State College of Vocational Education, under the guidance of expert-trainer Arbi Gharakhanyan, was awarded a Medal of Excellence in the Cooking skill category. This is the first medal achievement in the history of Armenia’s national team participation in WorldSkills competitions, having participated six times.

Arsen Armenakyan was also awarded the “Best of Nation” prize as the best participant of Armenia’s national team.

The other members of the Armenian team also recorded strong results. Only 14 points separated Aramayis Hayrapetyan, a student of the Yerevan State College of Informatics and participant in the Mobile Applications Development category, from receiving a Medal of Excellence, while Louisa Zakaryan, a student of the French-Armenian Vocational Training Center and participant in the Fashion Technology category, was 37 points short of the medal threshold.

The Armenian representatives were selected based on the results of the national competition.

Armenia’s participation in the competition is important not only in terms of the competitive results achieved by participants and experts, but also from the perspective of international professional cooperation, exchange of experience, and studying new approaches in the field of vocational education and training.

Armenia has been a member of WorldSkills International since 2012, represented by the National Center for Vocational Education and Training Development (NCVETD), which coordinates the implementation of membership-related activities and functions arising from it.

Armenia was also represented at the competition at the level of an official delegation. Siranush Meloyan, Head of the Vocational Education and Training Policy Development and Strategy Division of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, participated as an official observer.

As part of WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, a three-day conference on vocational education and training was also held. The conference addressed issues including skills development, the impact of artificial intelligence on educational processes, the development of vocational education in line with changing labor market requirements, the expansion of international cooperation, and other matters related to the vocational education and training sector.