Armenia has won its first-ever medal at the WorldSkills Competition, with 20-year-old Arsen Armenakyan earning a Medallion for Excellence in Cooking at the 48th edition in Shanghai, China, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports said. Medals were presented at the closing ceremony on Sunday, September 27.
Held every 2 years since 1950, WorldSkills is widely known as the “Olympics of Skills,” and this year’s edition drew a record 1,385 competitors from 68 countries and regions.
Armenakyan, a graduate of Yerevan State College of Vocational Education, competed under expert coach Arbi Gharakhani. He also received the Best of Nation award as the top performer on Armenia’s national team.
“Representing Armenia at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 was an unforgettable experience and the result of months of hard work, discipline and sacrifice,” Armenakyan said. “I am deeply grateful to my mentor, Arbi Gharakhani, for his guidance, trust and dedication throughout this journey, to my family for always standing behind me, and to everyone who supported and believed in me along the way.”
“This Medal for Excellence is not only my achievement—it belongs to everyone who was part of this journey with me. I am proud to have represented Armenia on the WorldSkills stage.”
The ministry said it is the first medal in the history of Armenia’s national team at WorldSkills, which competed in Shanghai for the 6th time. The Medallion for Excellence is awarded to competitors who reach the WorldSkills standard of excellence in their skill, ranking just below the gold, silver and bronze positions.
“The medal is important, but what makes me proudest is the journey behind it—the discipline, sacrifices and countless hours of preparation,” Gharakhani said. “Watching Arsen grow through this experience has been one of the most rewarding parts of being his mentor. I also greatly appreciate WorldSkills Armenia for providing this opportunity and platform for our young professionals to challenge themselves, grow and represent Armenia internationally.”
Armenia competed in 3 of the competition’s 64 skills: Cooking, Mobile Applications Development and Fashion Technology. Aramayis Hayrapetyan, a student at Yerevan State College of Informatics, finished 14 points short of a Medallion for Excellence in Mobile Applications Development. Luiza Zakaryan, a student at the French-Armenian Vocational Training Center, missed the same honor by 37 points in Fashion Technology.
The team was selected through a national competition. Siranush Meloyan, head of the ministry’s Vocational Education and Training Policy Development and Strategy Division, attended with Armenia’s official delegation as an official observer.
Armenia has been a member of WorldSkills International since 2012 and is represented by the National Center for Vocational Education and Training Development, which coordinates its membership. A 3-day conference on vocational education and training ran alongside the competition, covering skills development, the impact of artificial intelligence on education and the changing demands of the labor market.
The 49th WorldSkills Competition will be held in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, in 2028.
