FAW

What FAW does

FAW (Fortbildungsakademie der Wirtschaft) gGmbH is a German non-profit vocational training and labor-market integration provider founded in 1986 and headquartered in Cologne. Operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of the bbw-Gruppe (Bildungswerk der Bayerischen Wirtschaft), FAW runs more than 250 training locations across 12 of Germany's 16 federal states, employs approximately 2,575 staff (as of May 2026), and serves more than 47,500 participants annually through seven core service lines: continuing education (Weiterbildung), retraining (Umschulung), online learning, vocational rehabilitation and inclusion, placement and counseling, language and integration, and apprenticeship and youth promotion. The company is also a sponsor of 17 specialized Berufliche Trainingszentren (BTZ) for people with psychological impairments, operated partly through wholly owned subsidiaries BTZ Kassel gGmbH and BTZ Braunschweig gGmbH.

The underlying delivery platform combines a proprietary branded virtual classroom (LOU!S), the shared BBW-Group learning management system (lms.bbw.de), and competency assessment tools (MYSKILLS, NewPlan) integrated with the Bundesagentur für Arbeit's JOBBÖRSE/eServices and the BAMF curriculum for integration and vocational German courses. FAW is AZAV-certified, BAMF-approved for Integrationskurse and Berufssprachkurse (A1–C1), and operates a telc-licensed Prüfungszentrum Deutsch. Specialist sub-brands include the BTZ network, Servicezentren GuT NRW, and the modular Perspektive.Integration.Arbeit (P.I.A.) program family that powers offerings such as Job-Turbo, Talentschmiede, and KarriereStart Plus Sprache.

Revenue is predominantly entitlement-driven from public-sector payers: the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, regional Jobcenter (SGB II), the Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF), Deutsche Rentenversicherung, Berufsgenossenschaften, Knappschaft-Bahn-See, and the European Social Fund (ESF), routed via Bildungsgutschein, AVGS, SGB II/III/IX, and the Qualifizierungschancengesetz. A secondary fee-based B2B revenue stream comes from corporate clients under "Für Unternehmen" — Betriebliches Gesundheitsmanagement (BGM), tailored qualification programmes, Fachkräftemangel advisory, and Einheitliche Ansprechstellen für Arbeitgeber (EAA) — plus self-pay telc examination fees. Pricing is not transparently published; most programmes are fully funded by government entitlements, with the new €150/month Weiterbildungsgeld under Bürgergeld paid to participants (not to FAW). No revenue figure is disclosed in the source material.

Name

FAW

Legal name

Fortbildungsakademie der Wirtschaft (faw) gGmbH

Website

https://faw.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

FAW is a German non-profit vocational training and labor-market integration provider serving 47,500+ participants annually across 250+ locations in 12 federal states, funded mainly by federal and state employment agencies, BAMF, and rehabilitation cost carriers via Bildungsgutschein, AVGS, and SGB II/III/IX entitlements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Labor Market Integration Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Apprenticeships, Pre-Apprenticeships & Work-Based Learning (EDAAAOAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Welding Inspection, QA/QC & NDT Prep Training (e.g., CWI) (EDAOADAF), Internships, Externships & Work-Based Learning Placement (EDAMAKAB), Study Habits & Homework Systems Workshops (EDAMAIAL)

Keywords

• Vocational training services
• Continuing education programs
• Vocational rehabilitation services
• Language integration courses
• Corporate health management

Headquarters

HQ city

Cologne

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices24 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public-sector funded vocational training & activation: Core revenue stream from contracts with the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Jobcenter, BAMF and ESF for delivering Bildungsgutschein-funded retraining, AVGS activation measures, integration courses, and SGB II/III/IX rehabilitation services. Funding is entitlement-based (per participant, per measure), creating predictable but government-budget-dependent revenue.
2. B2B corporate training & health management: Fee-based services to companies under "Für Unternehmen": Betriebliches Gesundheitsmanagement, customized training programs, talent-scarcity advisory, and Einheitliche Ansprechstellen für Arbeitgeber (EAA). Pricing is project/contract based.
3. Self-pay language exams & certifications: Direct self-pay revenue from candidates sitting telc language examinations at faw's licensed Prüfungszentrum - Deutsch. Pricing is per-exam (Selbstzahler / individuelle Fördermöglichkeiten).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Fortbildungsakademie der Wirtschaft (faw) gGmbH is a German non-profit vocational education and labor market integration provider. It delivers funded continuing education, retraining, integration/language, rehabilitation, and career coaching services across 250+ locations in 12 federal states, complemented by B2B corporate training and Betriebliches Gesundheitsmanagement (BGM).

Product overview

FAW (Fortbildungsakademie der Wirtschaft) gGmbH operates as a non-profit vocational education and labor market integration provider organized as a platform of seven core service lines – Weiterbildung, Umschulung, Online weiterbilden (LOU! virtual classroom), Berufliche Rehabilitation & Inklusion, Vermittlung & Beratung, Sprache & Integration, and Ausbildung & Jugendförderung – plus specialized subsidiaries (Berufliche Trainingszentren BTZ and Servicezentren GuT NRW) and corporate services (BGM, EAA). These are operationalized through two unifying program frameworks: the Perspektive.Integration.Arbeit (P.I.A.) modular program family (which powers offerings such as CFM, KarriereStart Plus Sprache, Job-Turbo, Talentschmiede, and Sprache trifft Job), and the OnlineCoaching suite (basic module plus 12 advanced modules for individual career coaching). Specialized add-ons such as the Prüfungszentrum Deutsch (telc examination center), UNIKAT individualized vocational rehab, and Leistungen nach §60 SGB IX extend the platform into language certification and disability-inclusion services, all delivered at over 250 locations across 12 German federal states by a workforce of approximately 2,575 employees reaching more than 47,500 participants annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Berufliche Trainingszentren (BTZ): Vocational training centers operated under faw's auspices that support people with psychological impairments on their path back to working life. There are 17 BTZ locations nationwide under faw's sponsorship, with the first opening in 1997.
• Servicezentren GuT NRW
• LOU!

Products and services

• Weiterbildung (Continuing Education)

Quantifiable outcome

• 60–100% of rehabilitation participants transition back into employment depending on programme
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• bbw-GruppeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company of FAW gGmbH. The faw logo is displayed alongside the bbw-Gruppe logo on the homepage, and the BBW-Group LMS (lms.bbw.de) and shared digital services are used by faw participants. The annual report is published under the bbw-Gruppe umbrella.
• telc GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partnertelc language-certification partner: faw is a telc-Prüfungszentrum (licensed exam centre), delivering telc-certified B1/B2/C1 exams and aligned curriculum.
• Bundeswehr (Berufsförderungsdienst der Bundeswehr)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferral and event partner: faw attended SOLDATA 2026, the career fair for ex-Bundeswehr personnel, drawing on the Berufsförderungsdienst pipeline to recruit transitioning soldiers.
• Bildungswerk der Bayerischen Wirtschaft (bbw)coreTechnology or Integrationbbw-Group sibling organization operating the shared LMS (lms.bbw.de) and digital test platform (digikomp.bbw.de); participants log in via bbw infrastructure.
• BTZ Kassel gGmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWholly owned subsidiary of faw hosting one of the BTZ (Berufliche Trainingszentrum) sites; customer messages addressed to BTZ Kassel are forwarded to the subsidiary.
• BTZ Braunschweig gGmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWholly owned subsidiary operating BTZ Braunschweig-Wolfsburg; customer messages addressed to that location are forwarded to the subsidiary.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Comcave: German retraining and qualification provider focused on commercial and IT occupations funded via Bildungsgutschein; a directly comparable AZAV-certified competitor in the upskilling / Umschulung segment.
• DEKRA Akademie: Largest German private vocational training provider, delivering AZAV-certified retraining, AVGS coaching, BAMF integration courses and rehabilitation across a national network — directly comparable business model and customer segments to faw.
• TÜV Rheinland Akademie: Vocational education arm of TÜV Rheinland delivering certified retraining, qualification and language courses; competes in the same publicly-funded segments (Bildungsgutschein, AVGS, BAMF) with a strong brand and digital infrastructure.
• bfw (Berufsförderungswerk): Major German vocational training and rehabilitation provider with a similar AZAV / SGB II-III / SGB IX funding mix and nationwide delivery footprint; competes directly for Bildungsgutschein-funded retraining and AVGS coaching contracts.
• Deutsche Angestellten-Akademie (DAA): Nationwide German adult-education and vocational training non-profit delivering AZAV measures, AVGS coaching, BAMF integration courses and rehabilitation — a near-mirror of faw's service portfolio and funding model.
• Bildungswerk der Bayerischen Wirtschaft (bbw): Sibling organisation under the bbw-Gruppe umbrella that operates the shared LMS (lms.bbw.de) and digikomp.bbw.de platform used by faw — directly comparable vocational training portfolio with a strong southern German presence.

Emerging players

• EuroAkademie: Private vocational education group delivering health, social-care and language qualifications including BAMF integration courses — a niche but comparable competitor in language and care training.
• GFBM (Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Berufsbildung und Beschäftigung mbH): Berlin-based vocational training and labour-market integration provider delivering AZAV-certified measures, AVGS coaching and BAMF courses — a comparable but regionally focused competitor.

Regional players

• SBH Nord: Northern German vocational training provider focused on SGB II/III commissioning and labour-market integration; operates a comparable funding mix but with a stronger regional (northern Germany) concentration.

Broad incumbents

• IHK Bildungswerk: Chamber-of-commerce-affiliated vocational training provider delivering qualification, retraining and certification services across Germany — a broader incumbent with overlapping publicly-funded programmes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FAWvideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/fawdresden
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fortbildungsakademie-der-wirtschaft-faw-
• Instagraminstagram.com/faw_aktuell

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FAW