Richard von Weizsäcker Vocational College

What Richard von Weizsäcker Vocational College does

The Richard-von-Weizsäcker-Berufskolleg is a publicly funded vocational college in Paderborn, Germany, operated by the Kreis Paderborn as Schulträger under the oversight of the Schulministerium NRW and the Bezirksregierung Detmold. Named after former German President Richard von Weizsäcker and supported by a 2002-established Förderverein, it delivers technical vocational education across construction, electrical, automotive, painting, mechanical engineering, woodworking, information technology, and HVAC trades, serving five primary student groups: dual-system apprentices (Berufsschule, 50+ occupations), Berufliches Gymnasium students pursuing the Abitur with engineering specialization, Fachschule für Technik candidates (Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, full-time 2-year or part-time 4-year tracks), one- and two-year Berufsfachschule students, and Ausbildungsvorbereitung cohorts preparing for vocational training.

Its core product portfolio centers on the dual apprenticeship (combining in-school theory with company-based practice under IHK and Handwerkskammer examination), the full-time and part-time technician programs with add-on certifications (ADA, DGQ quality, SAP S/4HANA), and the three-year Berufliches Gymnasium for the Allgemeine Hochschulreife. Supplementary offerings include the Zusatzqualifikation Digitale Fertigungsprozesse (digital manufacturing) and the parallel Fachhochschulreife for apprentices requiring 520 instructional hours. The operational backbone stacks SchILD-NRW 3 (student information system with browser-based SchildWeb module and 2FA from school year 2025/26), WebUntis (timetabling and digital class register), Microsoft 365 (Teams, OneNote, Bookings), Nextcloud and Paperless-ngx hosted on Kreis Paderborn servers, fobizz as an AI-enabled learning platform, TaskCards for collaborative pinboards, and an internal Schul-Cloud at websnv.rvwbk.de plus a GPLv2-licensed Didaktischer Wizard for didactic planning.

The business model is non-commercial: operating revenue comes from the Kreis Paderborn public budget, with capital projects underwritten by GRW federal-state modernization grants (January 2025) and REACT-EU digital inclusion funds (2023). Tuition at the Fachschule für Technik is explicitly free; other eligible students may access BAföG, Begabtenförderung des Handwerks, or Rentenversicherung support. Customer acquisition runs through the state-wide schulbewerbung.de portal, the rvwbk.de website, the @rvwbk_paderborn Instagram channel, and on-campus "Tag der offenen Tür" / info days. Programmatic accountability is anchored in IHK Ostwestfalen and Handwerkskammer OWL examination-board partnerships.

Name

Richard von Weizsäcker Vocational College

Legal name

Richard-von-Weizsäcker-Berufskolleg des Kreises Paderborn

Website

https://rvwbk.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Short description

A publicly funded vocational college in Paderborn, Germany, operated by Kreis Paderborn. It delivers technical vocational training across construction, electrical, automotive, mechanical, IT, and HVAC trades through dual apprenticeship, Berufliches Gymnasium, Fachschule für Technik, and preparatory programs for regional students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (611210), Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Apprenticeship Training (611513), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transfer/University-Parallel Community Colleges (EDAHADAF), Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB), Construction, Engineering & Skilled Trades Licensure Prep (EDAAANAL)

Keywords

• Vocational education
• Technical training
• Dual apprenticeship
• Technician certification
• Secondary education

Headquarters

HQ city

Paderborn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding (Kreis Paderborn): As a public vocational school operated by the Kreis Paderborn (municipal district), the school is primarily funded through public taxation and government education budgets. No commercial revenue is generated. Education at the Fachschule für Technik is explicitly stated as free of charge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

A public vocational college providing technical vocational education across building, electrical, automotive, painting, mechanical engineering, IT, and HVAC trades. The school delivers dual-system apprenticeships (Berufsschule) covering 50+ occupations, full-time and part-time Berufsfachschule programs, a Fachschule für Technik for state-certified technician qualifications, a Berufliches Gymnasium leading to Abitur with an engineering specialization, and Ausbildungsvorbereitung programs for students without a school-leaving certificate.

Product overview

Richard-von-Weizsäcker-Berufskolleg operates as a unified educational institution offering multiple interconnected programs. The core portfolio includes: (1) Duale Ausbildung - vocational training across 50+ technical occupations combining company apprenticeships with school instruction; (2) Fachschule für Technik - Techniker certification programs in Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering (full-time or part-time); (3) Berufliches Gymnasium Ingenieurwissenschaften - three-year Abitur program with engineering focus; (4) 1-jährige and 2-jährige Berufsfachschule - one and two-year vocational foundation programs leading to various Schulabschluss qualifications; (5) Ausbildungsvorbereitung - preparatory programs for vocational training. Supporting offerings include the Zusatzqualifikation Digitale Fertigungsprozesse for digital manufacturing skills, and the Fachhochschulreife supplementary program for apprentices. The institution also maintains internal platforms including the Schul-Cloud for digital learning and the Didaktischer Wizard for didactic planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Duale Ausbildung (Dual Vocational Training)

Quantifiable outcome

• 17 graduates received the Zusatzqualifikation 'Digitale Fertigungsprozesse' certificate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• IBB OWL (Innovationszentrum Berufliche Bildung OWL)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 July 2026IBB OWL organized the Transferkonferenz 2026, a cross-Berufskolleg conference on the theme 'Integrationsleistung von Berufskollegs erhöhen' (increasing the integration performance of vocational colleges). Around 150 guests from Berufskollegs, school authorities, Bezirksregierung, and chambers participated. RvWBK co-hosted the event.
• GRW (Gemeinschaftsaufgabe 'Verbesserung der regionalen Wirtschaftsstruktur')minorOthers · 1 January 2025GRW is a joint federal-state funding program for improving regional economic structures. The school participates in a project 'Modernisierung der ausbildungsrelevanten Ausstattung an vier Berufskollegs im Kreis Paderborn', covering IT equipment, laboratories, and furniture upgrades at four Berufskollegs including RvWBK.
• REACT-EU (EU COVID-19 Recovery Program)minorOthers · 1 September 2023REACT-EU is an EU funding program launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to mitigate economic and social impacts. The school receives support for digital transformation, specifically for providing school-owned mobile end devices (Endgeräte) to close digital gaps.
• Kreis PaderborncoreOthersThe school is operated by the Kreis Paderborn (municipal district), which serves as the Schulträger (school authority). Kreis Paderborn is responsible for administrative oversight, funding, infrastructure, and staffing of the school. The district is represented by Landrat Christoph Rüther.
• Industrie- und Handelskammer (IHK) Ostwestfalen zu BielefeldcoreOthersThe IHK serves as the examination board for many dual-system apprenticeship programs at the school. IHK exams certify the Berufsabschluss (vocational qualification) for apprentices in trade and industry occupations (e.g., Anlagenmechaniker, Elektroniker, Fachinformatiker, KFZ-Mechatroniker, etc.).
• Handwerkskammer Ostwestfalen-Lippe zu BielefeldcoreOthersThe Handwerkskammer (Chamber of Trades) serves as the examination board for apprenticeship programs in craft/trade occupations (Handwerk), including occupations such as Tischler, Maler/Lackierer, Metallbauer, Maurer, Dachdecker, Anlagenmechaniker SHK, and others offered at the school.
• Berufskollegs PaderbornminorOthersA network/cooperation of the three Berufskollegs in Paderborn (Helene-Weber-Berufskolleg, Richard-von-Weizsäcker-Berufskolleg, and Ludwig-Erhard-Berufskolleg) that collaborate on shared projects, modernization initiatives (GRW funding), and joint events.
• Bezirksregierung DetmoldminorOthersThe regional government (Bezirksregierung) of Detmold oversees the school as the administrative authority for secondary education (Berufskollegs) in the Detmold district of North Rhine-Westphalia.
• Helene-Weber-BerufskollegminorOthersOne of the other two Berufskollegs in Paderborn. The school collaborated in a 'Teamwork Grün und Holz' project, where RvWBK's HT58 class produced wooden frames and another Berufskolleg's floristry students created moss pictures.
• SchILD-NRW (ribeka GmbH)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe school uses SchILD-NRW 3 as the official student administration software (student data management, grades, certificates). SchildWeb, a web-based module developed by ribeka GmbH, enables browser-based access to student performance data without local installation. A data processing agreement (AVV) under Art. 28 GDPR is in place. Two-factor authentication (2FA) was added from school year 2025/26.
• WebUntis (Untis GmbH)coreTechnology or IntegrationWebUntis is used for timetable management, digital class registers (Klassenbuch), and absence tracking. The school uses WebUntis Booking for appointment scheduling. An AVV under Art. 28 GDPR is in place. Data is processed on EU servers.
• Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Ireland Operations Ltd.)coreTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft 365 (Teams, OneNote, Bookings) is used for educational communication and collaboration, including appointment booking for parent-teacher conferences. EU Standard Contractual Clauses govern data transfers outside the EU.
• SNV / WebSNV (INL AG)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe school's pedagogical network (pädagogisches Netzwerk) is managed using the Schulnetzverwalter snv® from INL AG. WebSNV enables web-based access to home and exchange directories. Software runs on the school's own server; INL AG only accesses system data for maintenance/support.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ludwig-Erhard-Berufskolleg: One of the three Berufskollegs in Paderborn and a named cooperation partner within the GRW modernization pool. Operates the same NRW Berufskolleg model covering dual Ausbildung, Fachoberschule, and Berufliches Gymnasium, making it the closest geographic peer in terms of program portfolio, regulatory framework, and catchment area.
• Helene-Weber-Berufskolleg: Second of the three Paderborn Berufskollegs and named project partner (notably in the joint 'Teamwork Grün und Holz' collaboration). Offers overlapping dual Ausbildung and full-time vocational programs under the same NRW regulatory umbrella and competes for the same regional apprenticeship market.
• Berufskolleg Schloß Neuhaus: Fourth Berufskolleg within the GRW-funded four-school modernization consortium (Kreis Paderborn). Comparable NRW Berufskolleg operating model with similar dual Ausbildung and Berufsfachschule offerings, sharing infrastructure funding and competing for students in the same district.

Others

• Handwerkskammer Ostwestfalen-Lippe zu Bielefeld: Regional chamber of trades serving as examination body and offering its own training courses. Strategic partner of RvWBK for craft-trade apprenticeship examinations but also a partial competitor for advanced vocational qualification delivery (Meister preparation, continuing education).
• IHK Ostwestfalen zu Bielefeld: Regional chamber of industry and commerce serving as examination body for industry-track apprenticeships and offering its own continuing-education programs. Strategic partner of RvWBK (IHK exams certify the Berufsabschluss) but also runs parallel vocational further-education offerings in the same catchment.

Broad incumbents

• DEKRA Akademie: Germany's largest private vocational retraining and upskilling provider, operating across technical, commercial, and IT tracks. While for-profit and broader in scope, it competes for adult upskilling demand that overlaps with the RvWBK's Fachschule für Technik further-education audience.
• DAA Deutsche Angestellten-Akademie: Major non-profit vocational and integration education provider with national reach. Offers comparable Umschulung, Ausbildungsvorbereitung, and integration-track programs targeting similar demographic segments (low school-leaving certificate holders, career-changers) that overlap with RvWBK's Ausbildungsvorbereitung.
• TÜV Rheinland Akademie: Vocational and certification training arm of TÜV Rheinland covering technical, IT, and quality-management tracks. Competes for working-professional upskilling budgets and offers comparable industry certifications (quality, IT security) that overlap with RvWBK's DGQ and IT-Security credentials.
• FOM Hochschule: Germany's largest private university for working professionals, offering dual and part-time bachelor programs alongside vocational certificates. Comparable in serving technicians and skilled workers seeking upward mobility, but operating via the private HE pathway rather than the Berufskolleg system.

Emerging players

• SRH Berufliche Bildung: Private vocational education group (formerly SRH Fachschulen) operating Berufsfachschulen, Fachschulen, and Ausbildung programs across Germany. Direct competitor for private-payer vocational further-education students, with similar technical-healthcare-care tracks but a commercial funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/rvwbk_paderborn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rvwbk

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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