What Retravailler does

Retravailler is a French non-profit association (Association loi 1901) founded in 1974 by sociologist and feminist Evelyne Sullerot to support women's return to the labor market. It is the originator of the first adult career orientation tools in France, using a psychosocial approach that later became the national Bilan de Compétences methodology. The organization operates as the Réseau National Retravailler, a network of four wholly-owned regional training entities — Retravailler dans l'Ouest (headquartered in Nantes), dans l'Est, Sud Ouest, and Nord Picardie — with 100 permanent delivery sites across metropolitan France and the overseas territory of Réunion. As of 2024 the network employs over 500 certified trainers and professional integration counselors and reported €33M in revenue alongside 102,000+ beneficiaries served in 2023.

The service portfolio is organized around four pillars: Accompagnement (career guidance and support), Formation (training), Conseil (HR consulting for enterprises), and Etude et Expertise (research and policy input). For individuals, the network delivers skills assessments (Bilan de Compétences), VAE (Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience) support, orientation services for students via the Activ'Orient family (Collège, Lycée, Sup), and specialized programs for workers with disabilities (e.g., Formation par l'Immersion en Entreprise). For enterprises, offerings span recruitment, skills management, career reclassification (inplacement/outplacement), gender equality diagnostics, and DOETH compliance support. Digital delivery is provided through the E-proévolution online training platform and the Entrance Game serious game (gamified interview practice, funded by Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine). All four regional entities hold QUALIOPI certification, and the organization is recognized under Datadock — both prerequisites for accessing OPCO-funded training in France.

The business model is predominantly publicly-funded: revenue derives from training and HR consulting contracts commissioned by OPCO, Pôle Emploi, Agefiph, regional and departmental councils, and the European Social Fund. Distribution is via direct enterprise sales and referral-driven individual access through institutional partnerships. Retravailler has no external investors, no M&A activity, no app, no API, and no documented AI/ML capabilities — it is a stable, non-profit operator embedded in the French public employment and training infrastructure.

Name

Retravailler

Legal name

Association Retravailler

Website

https://retravailler.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Retravailler is a French non-profit network founded in 1974 delivering career guidance, professional training, and HR consulting across 100 sites in France and Réunion, serving job seekers, employees, students, and enterprises through publicly-funded programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Career Development and Professional Training Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Education & Dropout Prevention / Re-Engagement Programs (EDANAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Human Resources & Talent (SHRM/HRCI Recertification) (EDAAALAN)

Keywords

• Professional training services
• Career guidance
• Skills assessment
• HR consulting
• Employment support

Headquarters

HQ city

Nantes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Training Services: Professional training services for employees and job seekers, funded through OPCO (Professional Joint Collective Management Bodies), regional councils, and government programs. Training covers various sectors including accounting, commerce, building, personal services, IT, and professional certification.
2. Career Counseling and Support: Skills assessments, career transition support, and professional orientation services financed through public funding bodies including OPCO, Pôle Emploi, Agefiph, and regional/departmental councils.
3. Enterprise HR Consulting: HR diagnostic services, recruitment support, skills management, and training solutions for businesses. Services include RH 360° diagnosis, collective employability assessments, and professional equality diagnostics.
4. VAE (Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience): Support services for professional experience validation, helping individuals obtain certifications registered in the RNCP (National Repertory of Professional Certifications).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Retravailler is a French non-profit association network providing professional training, career guidance, HR consulting, and employment support services. It operates through four regional entities (Retravailler dans l'Ouest, dans l'Est, Sud Ouest, Nord Picardie) covering all of France with 100 permanent sites. Services span skills assessment, VAE validation, recruitment, reclassification, disability employment, professional equality, and youth orientation (Activ'Orient programs), delivered both in-person and via the E-proévolution online platform.

Product overview

Retravailler is a French professional services network offering a comprehensive portfolio of career development services organized around four core pillars: Accompagnement (career guidance and support), Formation (professional training), Conseil (HR consulting), and Etude et Expertise (research and expertise). The network operates across four regional entities covering France and serves both individuals (job seekers, employees, students) and enterprises. Key products include Activ'Orient programs for youth orientation, E-proévolution online training platform, VAE validation services, recruitment solutions, disability workplace support, and gender equality consulting. The network's offerings are delivered through both in-person and remote formats, with the 100 permanent sites across France providing localized services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• E-proévolution: Online training platform developed by Retravailler for digital training delivery.
• Entrance Game
• Activ'Orient

Products and services

• Accompagnement (Career Support) Career guidance and support service providing skills development, career transitions, and employment support for employees and job seekers throughout their professional journey.
• Formation (Professional Training) Professional training services for employees and job seekers covering skill acquisition, qualifying certifications, and sector-specific programs delivered in-person and via the E-proévolution online platform.
• Conseil (HR Consulting) HR consulting services for enterprises including diagnostic assessments, equality audits, workforce restructuring, and recruitment solutions.
• Bilan de Compétences (Skills Assessment) Skills assessment service that helps individuals identify their competencies and career direction, based on the methodology Retravailler originally developed for adult career orientation.
• VAE (Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience) Experience validation service helping individuals obtain RNCP (National Repertory of Professional Certifications) certifications based on their professional experience.
• Activ'Orient (Collège, Lycée, Sup) Personalized assessment and coaching for orientation targeting students at middle school (collège), high school (lycée, including Parcoursup support), and higher education (Sup) levels.
• E-proévolution Online Training Platform Online training platform developed by Retravailler that enables digital delivery of certifying training programs, including five 100% remote programs in Commercial Assistance, Human Resources, and Accounting.
• Recrutement et Intégration (Recruitment and Integration) Comprehensive recruitment services for enterprises including candidate sourcing, evaluation, decision support, and integration assistance.
• Reclassement (Outplacement) Individual and collective reclassification services for employees facing restructuring, including internal mobility support and job search assistance.
• Gestion des Compétences et Carrières (Skills and Career Management) Skills and career management services for enterprises including professional interviews, HR diagnostics, skills mapping, and internal mobility tools.
• Handicap et Emploi (Disability and Employment) Specialized services for companies and employees regarding disability in the workplace, including DOETH (Declaration of Employment Obligation for Disabled Workers) support, workplace accommodation, and job maintenance.
• Egalité Professionnelle (Professional Equality) Gender equality professional services for enterprises including diagnostic assessments, legal compliance support, and diversity recruitment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 102,000+ people accompanied or trained in 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pôle EmploicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2021Partnership with Pôle Emploi to provide 5 certified training programs in 100% distance learning format in Commercial Assistance, Human Resources, and Accounting fields. Trainings financed by Plan d'Investissement dans les Compétences and can be remunerated by Pôle Emploi.
• Action LogementminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership with Action Logement to help young participants in Dispositif Jeunes Diplômés find and rent housing during their professional missions.
• JOB ULIS (Education Nationale)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaboration with JOB ULIS of Education Nationale to develop the 'Je m'inscris à Pôle Emploi' tool using FALC methodology for young people with disabilities.
• AgefiphcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021Agefiph provides funding for services supporting disabled workers and awarded Retravailler EGP the Prix Activateur de Progrès for the inclusive 'Je m'inscris à Pôle Emploi' tool.
• Amarris ImmominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020Partnership with Amarris Immo (specialized real estate income declaration company) to create a 'Campus Immo by Amarris' professionalization contract program. Customized 10-month training in alternance leading to professional certification, with potential CDI positions for 8 trainees as Chargé·e·s de Clientèle Comptable.
• Région NormandiecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2020Partnership with Région Normandie to implement 'Dispositif Jeunes Diplômés' program supporting young graduates from 2020 in acquiring first professional experience. Pays 650€/month to participants for 22 weeks of missions, plus mobility assistance of 50-250€.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Manpower France: Major staffing and career transition provider in France offering recruitment, training, and outplacement services — competes with Retravailler's enterprise HR and reclassement lines but as part of a much broader global portfolio.
• Randstad France: Global staffing firm with significant French HR services, training, and career transition offerings — comparable enterprise services but with a for-profit, capital-backed operating model and broader geographic reach.
• ADECCO France: Global staffing leader with a substantial French workforce solutions business — overlapping recruitment, training, reclassification, and skills management services for enterprises, but operating at much larger scale across many verticals.

Regional players

• APEC: France's executive employment services association providing career guidance, training, and HR consulting to executives and enterprises — comparable service portfolio but serving a higher-salary segment within the same French market.

Direct peers

• GRETA (Réseau GRETA): Public network of adult training centers attached to French secondary schools delivering qualifying certifications and career transition services — direct national peer sharing QUALIOPI certification, public funding, and Bilan de Compétences offerings.
• AFPA: France's leading national adult vocational training organization, directly comparable to Retravailler in offering qualifying certifications, Bilan de Compétences, and career transition services through a nationwide site network with QUALIOPI certification.
• CIBC Formation: French regional training organization delivering certified professional training, Bilan de Compétences, and VAE services — closely comparable operating model to Retravailler's regional entities, though with smaller geographic footprint.
• Cap Emploi: National network specialized in disability employment support and workplace integration — directly comparable to Retravailler's Handicap et Emploi offerings and DOETH compliance services for both workers and enterprises.

Emerging players

• OpenClassrooms: France-based digital-native education and apprenticeship platform — overlaps with Retravailler's remote Pôle Emploi-funded programs and E-proévolution digital training, but competes via scalable online delivery rather than in-person counseling.

Others

• AKTO: French OPCO collecting employer contributions and funding training programs across multiple sectors — not a direct competitor but a key funding partner category that influences demand for Retravailler's OPCO-financed training services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/retravailleregp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 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 Retravailler