What Educatel does

Educatel is a French distance learning provider founded in 1958, operating as a member school of the Skill & You group (which comprises 12 distance learning schools including Be académie, Cours Minerve, L'École Chez Soi, and Fashion Skills). The company offers 116+ professional training programs across 18 sectors — including wellness, decoration, civil service, beauty, BTP, IT, real estate, and languages — serving individuals seeking career retraining, state diploma preparation (CAP, Bac Pro, BTS), RNCP professional titles, and civil service concours preparation. With over 1 million students trained cumulatively since founding and approximately 3,500 professionals trained annually, Educatel is among the most established distance learning operators in France.

The core technology is the proprietary Espace Numérique de Travail (ENT) student portal, a 24/7 online learning platform accessible via computer, tablet, or smartphone. The platform delivers digital courses, video tutorials, self-corrected quizzes and exercises with automated scoring, instructor-graded assignments on a 20-point scale with personalized corrections, live virtual classes (some recorded for replay), trainer messaging, and progress tracking. Pedagogical support combines digital tooling with human trainers, and optional in-person workshops are available at the Paris-area Skill & You center. Qualiopi certification (April 2021) confirms compliance with French training quality standards, and GDPR-compliant data handling is in place.

The business model is direct-to-consumer with advisor-led phone sales. Prospects request documentation or callbacks via the website, after which study advisors build a personalized training plan and identify optimal financing (CPF, France Travail, regional aid, or self-pay). Courses are priced €1,420 to €3,290, paid via monthly installments over 29–35 months (e.g., massage well-being €3,290 at €88.90/month, life coach €3,088.40 at €106.60/month). Many programs are eligible for full CPF coverage at €0 out-of-pocket to the learner, with revenue flowing from the French government skills funding system. Distribution is entirely digital and advisor-assisted within metropolitan and rural France, with no physical retail or reseller network.

Name

Educatel

Legal name

SAS SKILL & YOU

Website

https://educatel.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Educatel is a French distance learning provider founded in 1958 and part of the Skill & You group. It offers 116+ professional training programs across 18 sectors via a proprietary student portal, serving individuals pursuing career retraining, state diplomas, and civil service exam preparation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Distance Learning / Professional Training Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Core Digital Curriculum & Courseware (Full Programs & Units) (EDAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses (MPACALAD)

Keywords

• Distance learning services
• Professional vocational training
• Online certification programs
• Civil service exam preparation
• Continuing education courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Distance Learning Course Fees (Subscription/Monthly): Students pay for their training through monthly installments over the course duration. Pricing varies by program (e.g., massage course at €3,290 total across 35 monthly payments of €88.90; decoration course at €2,390 across 35 payments of €64.60; administrative concours prep at €1,420 across 35 payments of €38.40). This is the primary revenue stream representing the bulk of tuition income.
2. CPF-Funded Training (Government Subsidized): Many Educatel programs are eligible for full or partial funding through the French CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation). When fully covered, students pay €0 out of pocket. The revenue flows from the French government skills funding system rather than direct student payment.
3. Certification and Exam Fees: Revenue is generated through certification exam preparation programs that lead to state-recognized diplomas (RNCP titles, state diplomas, civil service concours), with some programs including examination registration and preparation costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Educatel delivers online and distance learning programs across 18 professional sectors, totaling 116+ training courses for individual learners seeking state diplomas, RNCP-registered titles, and civil service competitive examination preparation. The proprietary Espace Numérique de Travail portal hosts course content, virtual live classes, graded assignments, and personalized coach/advisor support, with examples including wellness massage training, interior decorator training, and life coach certification.

Product overview

Educatel is a comprehensive distance learning platform and member of the Skill & You group (pioneer European distance learning provider since 1958). The core offering consists of an online learning platform (Formation à Distance) with 18 professional sectors and 116+ training programs, accessible through the Espace Élèves student portal 24h/24. Students benefit from virtual classes, personalized pedagogical support, and can prepare for state diplomas, professional titles (RNCP), public function competitions, or qualifying certificates. Programs span diverse areas including wellness (Formation Massage Bien-être, Formation Coach de Vie), design (Formation Décorateur d'intérieur), public administration (Préparation Concours Adjoint Administratif, Préparation Concours Contrôleur des Finances Publiques), and more. The company is progressively migrating to the Skill & You campus brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Distance Learning Training Programs (Formation à Distance) Catalog of 116+ online/distance learning programs for individual adult learners in France, covering 18 professional sectors and culminating in state diplomas, RNCP titles, or professional certifications.
• Espace Numérique de Travail (Student Portal) Proprietary online student portal providing enrolled learners access to course materials, virtual classes, assignments, progress tracking, and individualized advisor communication.
• Virtual Classes (Classes Virtuelles) Live virtual classroom sessions delivered online as part of enrolled training programs, enabling remote interactive learning.
• Civil Service Exam Preparation (Préparation Concours Fonction Publique) Targeted online preparation for French civil service competitive examinations (concours), including named tracks for Secrétaire Administratif et Technique and Contrôleur des Finances Publiques.
• Wellness Massage Training (Formation Massage Bien-être) Online professional training program in wellness massage practice aimed at adults seeking entry or transition into the massage services sector.
• Interior Decorator Training (Formation Décorateur d'intérieur) Online professional training program in interior decoration, preparing individual learners for practitioner roles in the interior design sector.
• Life Coach Training (Formation Coach de Vie) Online professional training program in life coaching methodology and practice, aimed at adult learners seeking certification as personal development coaches.
• Personalized Coaching and Advisor Support Human coaching and advisor accompaniment bundled with each enrolled program, providing individualized progress follow-up throughout the learner's training journey.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million students trained since founding in 1958
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Skill & You (Parent Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducatel is a member school of the Skill & You group, which owns 12 distance learning schools including Be académie, Cours Minerve, Cours Servais, L'École Chez Soi, L'École des Pros, Esecad, IFSA, Karis Formations, Lignes et Formations, Fashion Skills, and others. The group provides shared pedagogical platforms, marketing, and operational infrastructure. Skill & You is a SAS with capital of €88,125,642.40, registered in Nanterre (RCS 530 188 986).
• EdTech FranceminorOthersEducatel, as part of the Skill & You group, is a member of EdTech France — the association representing companies in the French EdTech sector. Membership indicates industry standing and participation in the EdTech ecosystem.
• Les acteurs de la compétenceminorOthersEducatel/Skill & You is a member of 'Les acteurs de la compétence,' a French professional network for skills and vocational training organizations.
• MonCompteFormation / CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerEducatel's courses are integrated with France's national professional training account system (CPF). Eligible programs are listed on MonCompteFormation.fr, allowing learners to check their training credits and apply for full or partial funding. This is a core financing channel for the business.
• France Travail (formerly Pôle Emploi)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerJob seekers registered with France Travail can access fully funded Educatel training at €0 cost. This partnership expands access to unemployed adults and is a significant channel for government-funded enrollments.
• Regional Councils (Conseils régionaux)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional councils in France may provide additional funding for professional training, complementing CPF and France Travail financing options for eligible learners.
• Skill & You CFA (Centre de Formation des Apprentis)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkill & You, parent of Educatel, operates as a CFA (Apprenticeship Training Center). All diploma and qualifying programs can be pursued in apprenticeship/alternance mode, enabling learners to find companies throughout France for on-the-job training alongside their distance studies.
• Activ'CréaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerActiv'Créa is a French support program for business creation. Grégory Bicchi (student testimonial) used Activ'Créa to build his business creation file, which enabled his training to be funded through France Travail (Pôle Emploi).

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AFPA (Agence nationale pour la formation professionnelle des adultes): Major French vocational training organization with both in-person centers and digital offerings, historically state-affiliated. Comparable as a broad incumbent addressing the same professional retraining demand, though with significant physical infrastructure alongside its remote offerings.
• Galileo Global Education: Leading private higher education group in Europe, with multiple French schools and online programs. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the French private education space, with significant scale and cross-brand portfolio diversification similar to Skill & You.
• Cegos: One of the largest international professional training companies, headquartered in France, with a broad portfolio spanning corporate B2B training, leadership development, and digital learning. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the French professional training market, though more B2B-oriented than Educatel's B2C model.

Direct peers

• Cours Minerve: Sister school within the Skill & You group offering distance learning for health, social, and education sectors. Operates the same ENT platform and financing infrastructure, providing a near-clone comparison for Educatel within the parent group.
• OpenClassrooms: France-based online education platform focused on career-oriented training and apprenticeship programs, with strong employer partnerships. Direct peer given its position as a digital-native alternative to Educatel's vocational/diploma-focused model, also heavily reliant on CPF and apprenticeship funding.
• CNED (Centre National d'Enseignement à Distance): French state-backed national distance learning institution, offering correspondence and online programs across academic and professional tracks. Direct competitor to Educatel in the French distance learning market, with similar breadth of catalog and credentialed outcomes.
• IFOCOP: French professional training institute specializing in alternance (apprenticeship) programs across business, IT, and management, with CPF integration. Direct peer given its focus on professional retraining, financing through CPF, and overlap with Educatel's business/commerce/HR verticals.
• L'École Chez Soi: Skill & You sister school specializing in architecture, construction, and interior design distance learning. Direct comparable to Educatel in the BTP/decoration sector with shared platform and group-level GTM.
• Be académie: Another Skill & You sister school focused on accounting, management, and HR distance training. Direct peer within the same parent group, sharing infrastructure and competing for the same French retraining audience.

Regional players

• Studyo / Studyrama (groupe): French media and education group focused on student orientation, exam preparation, and continuing education content. Comparable given its content-driven approach to the French student/learner market, although positioned more as a content/lead-generation platform than a course deliverer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LECIED_Educatel
• Facebookfacebook.com/educatel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cied-educatel
• Instagraminstagram.com/skillandyou

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Educatel