Dusit Thani College Proudly Celebrates “Jerry Nakarin” for Winning Silver at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, Bringing Honor to Thailand on the Global Skills Olympics Stage

The prestigious WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 competition, often referred to as the “Olympics of Skills,” has concluded successfully and in grand fashion. This world-class vocational skills competition brought together outstanding young talents from more than 70 countries to showcase their expertise and compete across 64 skill categories. Held every two years, the 48th edition took place at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, from 22-27 September 2026, welcoming over 1,400 competitors from around the world.

Amid a field of exceptionally talented young professionals from across the globe, Mr. Nakarin Jaroonpunvanich, affectionately known as “Jerry,” a Culinary Arts student at Dusit Thani College, Thailand’s leading hospitality education institution under the Dusit Thani Group, brought pride to the nation by winning the Silver Medal in the Cooking Skill Competition. Representing Thailand at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, Jerry’s achievement was officially announced on 27 September 2026.

            Following the award ceremony, Jerry shared his thoughts:

“I’m very happy to receive this award because I know that success like this is never achieved through personal ability alone. It requires time, effort, sacrifice, and support from many people. I have always been fortunate to receive that support from everyone around me, and today’s result reflects the success of all the hard work we have shared together.”

Reflecting on the competition, Jerry revealed that this year’s challenge was particularly demanding because it was a closed-test format, with competitors receiving the full details of the tasks only two days before the competition. As a result, his preparation involved training under self-created scenarios based on experience rather than practicing a clearly defined competition brief, as is often the case in other events.

            Like every competition, the experience offered not only recognition but also valuable lessons for personal growth. Jerry explained:

“I realized that I still need to develop greater confidence in managing my emotions and responding to unexpected situations more quickly. However, after speaking with competitors from different countries, I noticed that many of them view problems as exciting challenges rather than sources of stress. That’s a mindset I hope to adopt and continue developing in the future.”

This achievement further reinforces Jerry’s potential as an aspiring professional chef who has already earned recognition on several international stages. Previously, he won the Gold Medal and Best of Nation Award (Thailand’s highest overall score) at the 14th ASEAN Skills Competition (WorldSkills ASEAN Manila 2025) in Manila, Philippines. He also secured a Silver Medal at the 3rd Asian Skills Competition (WorldSkills Asia Taipei 2025) in Taipei, Taiwan.

            Moreover, the Silver Medal from WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 marks the second Silver Medal in Dusit Thani College’s history earned at the WorldSkills international competition. The first was achieved by Ms. Natcha Saengow, known as “Ting Ting,” who brought honor to Thailand by winning a Silver Medal at the 44th WorldSkills Competition (WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Jerry’s accomplishment not only reflects his determination, talent, and professional excellence, but also highlights the quality of education provided by Dusit Thani College in nurturing future leaders in the culinary and hospitality industries. His success demonstrates the College’s commitment to developing graduates who are ready to compete on the global stage while proudly representing Thailand and enhancing the nation’s reputation in the international arena.