What Association AZW does

AZW (Verein AZW, full legal name: AZW – Ausbildungszentrum Winterthur, Uster und Langenthal) is a Swiss non-profit association (Verein) operating three vocational training centers in Winterthur, Uster, and Langenthal that deliver industrial-technical apprenticeships in trades including Polymechaniker, Konstrukteur, Produktionsmechaniker, Anlagen- und Apparatebauer, Automatiker, Elektroniker, Informatiker, and Automatikmonteur. Founded in 2001 and serving German-speaking Switzerland, the organization trains apprentices for industrial partner companies through two contractual models — Model 1 (AZW holds the apprenticeship contract for up to two years of basic training before transfer to the partner) and Model 2 (partner company holds the contract while apprentices attend AZW for modular basic training) — and also serves individual youth applicants and secondary schools through career exploration programs and school visits.

The training concept is practice-oriented and built on real customer contract work (Auftragsarbeiten) in mechanical manufacturing, plant and apparatus construction, assembly, construction, electronics, and IT, meaning apprentices learn on production orders for paying industrial customers. AZW generates revenue through three streams: (1) apprenticeship training fees from industrial partner companies, (2) contract manufacturing revenue from Auftragsarbeiten customers, and (3) continuing education (Weiterbildung) for adults covering CNC, welding, CAD/CAM, assembly technology, technical drawing, and leadership. The organization holds ISO 9001:2015, EN 15085-2, and SVS EN 1090-1 certifications, was the first training center to receive Top-Ausbildungsbetrieb certification at all three sites (2024), and maintains modern equipment including CNC machines, conventional machining, welding stations, CAD/CAM systems, 3D printers, and VR-based training simulators developed with AtlasVR for crane operation. Recent programmatic additions include a 12-episode AZW Podcast on Spotify/Apple Music and sustainability workshops delivered with Ideas for Future.

AZW is governed as a Swiss association with no external investors, parent company, or PE/VC backing. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market relies on direct relationships with industrial partner companies, career exploration events, regional job fairs, school outreach, and a multi-platform social media presence (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok). In July 2025, Eric Fischer retired after 20+ years as CEO and was succeeded by Jürg Eugster as Managing Director, with Daniel Christen as Deputy, alongside new heads of Uster (Albin Mitsche), production (Alessandro Festa), and training selection (Gabriela Rafique). Performance outcomes include a 95.8% LAP pass rate in 2025 (120 completions, average grade 4.9), Swiss Skills 2025 silver and bronze medals, and a 6th-place finish at WorldSkills 2024 (best European) in CNC milling.

Name

Association AZW

Legal name

Verein AZW

Website

https://azw.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

AZW is a Swiss non-profit vocational training association operating three centers in Winterthur, Uster, and Langenthal that delivers industrial-technical apprenticeships, practice-oriented contract manufacturing, and continuing education for partner companies and adult learners across German-speaking Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Winterthur

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 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. Apprenticeship Training Services: AZW provides vocational training for industrial-technical professions. Partner companies pay for AZW to train apprentices either through full apprenticeship contracts (Model 1) or modular training programs (Model 2). The organization operates as a non-profit association (Verein AZW).
2. Contract Manufacturing (Auftragsarbeiten): AZW conducts customer orders in mechanical manufacturing, plant and apparatus construction, assembly, construction, electronics and IT work. These contract jobs fund the practical training concept where apprentices learn on real production work.
3. Continuing Education (Weiterbildung): Professional development courses for adults including CNC courses, conventional machining, assembly technology, welding and soldering, CAD training, technical drawing reading, leadership programs, and trainer courses for commercial vocational training.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Association AZW is a Swiss non-profit vocational training association that runs three training centers (Winterthur, Uster, Langenthal) delivering multi-year apprenticeships in industrial-technical trades to young people on behalf of industrial partner companies. Its core offer combines classroom instruction, hands-on workshop training on modern manufacturing equipment (CNC, conventional machining, welding, CAD/CAM, 3D printing, VR simulations) and paid contract manufacturing work that apprentices execute as part of their training, supplemented by continuing-education courses for adults and school-outreach programs.

Product overview

AZW (Ausbildungszentrum) is a training center for technical professions operating at three locations (Winterthur, Uster, Langenthal) in German-speaking Switzerland. The organization offers a portfolio of educational services centered on vocational training for industrial-technical professions including Polymechaniker, Konstrukteur, Produktionsmechaniker, Anlagen- und Apparatebauer, Automatiker, Elektroniker, Informatiker, Automatikmonteur, Baumaschinenmechaniker, and Kauffrau/Kaufmann. The training concept is strongly practice-oriented, built on customer contract work that enables learners to work on real production orders. Supporting offerings include continuing education programs for adults, vocational exploration events for youth, school outreach programs, and contract manufacturing services. Recent innovations include VR-based training for crane operation developed with AtlasVR, and an AZW Podcast series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apprenticeship Training (Berufliche Grundbildung) Multi-year vocational basic training (Berufliche Grundbildung) for young people in industrial-technical trades including Polymechaniker, Konstrukteur, Produktionsmechaniker, Anlagen- und Apparatebauer, Automatiker, Elektroniker, Informatiker, and Automatikmonteur, delivered at three AZW locations under Model 1 (AZW holds the apprenticeship contract) or Model 2 (the partner company holds the contract and apprentices attend modular basic training at AZW). Training is heavily practice-oriented, built around real customer contract work on modern CNC, welding, CAD/CAM and 3D-printing equipment.
• Continuing Education (Weiterbildung) Continuing-education (Weiterbildung) catalog for adults and corporate L&D buyers covering CNC courses, conventional machining, assembly technology, welding and soldering, CAD training, technical drawing reading, leadership programs, and trainer courses for commercial vocational trainers. Available to individuals and partner-company employees.
• Vocational Exploration (Berufserkundung) Career-exploration sessions (Berufserkundung) lasting approximately two hours at AZW locations where prospective apprentices can try out industrial-technical trades including Automatiker, Elektroniker, Informatiker, Konstrukteur, Polymechaniker, and Produktionsmechaniker firsthand as a recruitment funnel into the apprenticeship program.
• Contract Manufacturing (Auftragsarbeiten) Customer contract manufacturing in mechanical manufacturing, plant and apparatus construction, and assembly, plus construction, electronics and IT work, sold to industrial customers under ISO 9001:2015, EN 15085-2 and SVS EN 1090-1 certifications. Revenue funds the practical-training concept, enabling apprentices to learn on real production orders.
• School Programs (Angebote für Schulen) Programs offered to secondary schools in German-speaking Switzerland including class visits, parent evening participation, application training, AZW site visits, Rent-a-Stift placements, Zukunftstag (future day) participation, and holiday activities, supporting students and parents in vocational orientation.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AtlasVRcoreTechnology or Integration · 4 March 2025AZW collaborates with AtlasVR to develop a VR training program for safe and efficient crane operation in industrial environments. Learners use VR headsets and physical control devices to practice real lifting operations in a risk-free environment before working with actual machinery.
• Ideas for Future (klimaworkshop.ch)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAZW partnered with Ideas for Future (led by Christof Seiler and Stefan Brehm) to conduct climate workshops for first-year apprentices. 125 apprentices from seven different professional groups participated in five full-day workshops covering CO2, energy consumption, and global justice topics.
• Various Partner CompaniescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAZW works with numerous partner companies that either contract AZW to train their apprentices (Model 1) or send existing apprentices for modular training (Model 2). Partner companies include industrial firms such as Zimmer Biomet, Uster Technologies, Avesco AG, and many others.
• Loft DynamicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAZW partnered with Loft Dynamics to offer virtual helicopter flights as a highlight at the Tag der offenen Tür event, demonstrating how modern technologies and digital innovations are integrated into industrial vocational training.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Siemens Professional Education: Siemens' global dual education and corporate apprenticeship program, training apprentices in mechatronics, electronics, and digital/automation disciplines. Comparable to AZW in mission (industrial-technical apprenticeship training) and infrastructure model (in-house training centers with modern equipment), though serving Siemens' internal pipeline.
• Robert Bosch Berufsausbildung: Bosch's global corporate apprenticeship and dual education program training apprentices in mechatronics, electronics, polymechanics, and automation. Comparable to AZW in training industrial-technical apprentices on modern manufacturing equipment, though primarily serving Bosch's own workforce needs.
• TÜV SÜD Akademie: Global testing, inspection, and certification organization with an extensive training academy covering ISO, welding (EN 1090/ISO 9606), and industrial-technical continuing education. Comparable to AZW's Weiterbildung and certification-driven training offerings, though broader and not apprenticeship-focused.
• DEKRA Akademie: Global testing, inspection, and certification company with a substantial vocational and continuing education division covering industrial-technical, welding, and quality disciplines. Comparable to AZW in continuing education scope and employer-customer focus, though far broader geographically.
• Universal Technical Institute (UTI): US publicly traded provider of technical and trade education across transportation, industrial, and skilled trades with a multi-campus model. Comparable to AZW as a multi-site industrial-technical training provider serving employer customers, though structured as a for-profit public company with broader geographic scope.

Direct peers

• ZHAW (Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften): Major Zurich University of Applied Sciences with strong engineering, technical, and continuing education programs. Comparable to AZW as a technical education provider in the same economic region, with overlap in continuing education offerings and industrial employer relationships.
• EB Zürich (Eidgenössische Berufsschule Zürich): Major Zurich-based vocational school offering technical and commercial apprenticeship education with strong overlap in target trades. Comparable as a Swiss public vocational training provider serving similar apprentice populations and partner companies in the broader Zurich economic region.
• Berner Fachhochschule BFH: Swiss University of Applied Sciences with technical and engineering education programs. Comparable in delivering practice-oriented technical education in Switzerland, including apprenticeship-adjacent vocational pathways serving industrial employers in the Bern region.
• Ausbildungszentrum Sursee: Swiss industrial-technical apprenticeship training center operating a similar model to AZW in central Switzerland, covering polymechanics, construction mechanics, and related trades. Directly comparable in mission, training delivery model, and customer base (industrial partner companies outsourcing apprenticeship training).
• FHNW (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz): Swiss University of Applied Sciences providing technical and engineering education in northwestern Switzerland. Comparable to AZW as a vocational/applied technical education provider serving industrial partner companies and offering continuing education in industrial-technical disciplines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/azwausbildungszentrum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ausbildungszentrum-winterthur
• Instagraminstagram.com/azwausbildungszentrum
• TikToktiktok.com/@azwausbildungszentrum

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Association AZW