September 23, 2026 – Mr. Julapun Amornvivat, Minister of Labour, attended the opening ceremony and WorldSkills Conference 2026 at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. Pol. Lt. Col. Wannapong Kotcharak, Permanent Secretary of Labour, Ms. Bubpha Rueangsud, Director-General of the Department of Skills Development, and the Minister’s working group attended the conference, held under the theme “Shaping a Skills-Driven Future.” Mr. Li Qiang, Premier of the People’s Republic of China, and Mr. Francis Huertas, President of WorldSkills International, delivered welcoming addresses.
Mr. Julapun said WorldSkills was founded 75 years ago to address unemployment and skilled labour shortages, then grew into a global skills movement spanning over120 countries and economic territories, reflecting the importance of international cooperation, youth empowerment, and purpose-driven education and training. He thanked China, WorldSkills China, the Shanghai Municipal Government, and the organising committee for their collective efforts in bringing the event to fruition.
Mr. Julapun continued that skills development must form part of national priorities, as the world faces sweeping change, new forms of work, climate change, industrial transformation through artificial intelligence, and the imperative of building a sustainable world, making it essential to invest in education and training commensurate with these challenges. Skills competitions do not merely reflect participants’ excellence; they also elevate training systems, standards, and instructor development, ultimately creating opportunities for young people.
“I wish to emphasise that young people are the heart of WorldSkills. As creators and innovators, they deserve to be heard and to have a voice in shaping the future. I invite member countries, networks, and global partners to join together in driving the WorldSkills Vision 2025, to build a stronger and more connected global skills community,” Mr. Julapun said.
The WorldSkills Conference 2026 was held from September 23-25, 2026, under the theme “Shaping a Skills-Driven Future,” focusing on strengthening skills development systems for the future, encompassing the role of skilled workers, the innovation ecosystem in vocational education and training, equitable access to training, and skills recognition to support labour mobility, as well as the Skills CoLab platform for exchanging projects and building international partnerships, and the promotion of digital skills, green skills, and artificial intelligence through collaboration with the UNESCO Global Skills Academy.
Participation in the conference allowed the Ministry of Labour to exchange knowledge and monitor skills development approaches from around the world, with a view to applying them to develop Thai labour skills and standards aligned with technology, forms of work, and the demands of the future labour market. The WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 competition was held from September 23-26, 2026, in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China.
