Where This Began

Thailand has millions of young people — aged 15 to 19 — from disadvantaged backgrounds: rural poverty, hill tribe and ethnic minority communities, and those affected by crime, violence, or other vulnerabilities. For these young people, the pathways offered by conventional academic schooling are often inaccessible, irrelevant, or simply not designed with them in mind.

Existing vocational schools frequently lack real industry partnerships, qualified instructors with current professional experience, and the kind of hands-on immersion that produces graduates employers actually want to hire.

The founding team of Sirirat — led by Chairman Marcel Jahnke of the Asian Academics Foundation — saw a different path. Rather than replicate what wasn't working, they looked abroad to a model proven over decades in Germany: a dual education system where young people train inside real professional environments, learning by doing rather than learning to prepare.

The result is a 3-year vocational programme built around three professions with strong and growing demand across Thailand and Southeast Asia: Regenerative Farming, Fine Dining, and Hospitality Management.

Germany's Berufsausbildung — dual vocational education — is one of the most successful youth employment systems in the world. Its core principle is that learning is most effective when it happens in the real workplace, alongside real professionals, doing real work.

At Sirirat, we adapted this model for Thailand's professional context — combining deep practical immersion with structured classroom time. Business English is the main teaching language, preparing graduates for careers in international-facing industries across Southeast Asia.

Every student also undertakes Fitness and Muay Thai training — building physical fitness, positive mindset, cultural connection, and self-confidence. We believe a strong body and a disciplined mind are inseparable from professional excellence.