What Groupe CAT (Apave) does

Groupe CAT (Apave) — operating as CAT 3AE — is a regional vocational training center located in Saint-Cyr-en-Val, Centre-Val de Loire, France, and is a subsidiary brand of CATPRO, the professional training arm of the Apave Group. The center delivers in-person qualifying and diploma-bearing training programs ranging from 3 days to 1 year, targeting job seekers, salaried employees, and enterprises. It is part of a much larger international risk-management group that has operated for over 150 years, employs 12,400+ people, and maintains 130 agencies in France, 170 training sites, and roughly 50 international locations.

The product portfolio comprises 14 distinct programs organized across five industrial domains: Industrial Maintenance (EMI, OMI, TMI at Levels 3–4), Industrial Production (CIMA, CEI, TPI), Electrical Trades (Monteur-câbleur, EEB, EIMSA), Pharmaceutical/Cosmetic Manufacturing (Agent de Fabrication, Agent de Compression, OMAPICI), and Nuclear Power (CNPE specializations in welding, pipefitting, maintenance electrical, and bolted assembly). All programs lead to French-government-recognized certifications — Titre Professionnel (TP), Certificat de Qualification Professionnelle (CQP), or CQPM — at Levels 3 and 4 of the French qualifications framework. Delivery occurs at three sites — Orléans, Chartres, and Montargis — with cohorts scheduled through 2027. The center holds Qualiopi certification (2020) from the French Ministry of Labour, which is the regulatory prerequisite for accessing public training funds.

Revenue is generated through training fees financed by individuals, enterprises, the Compte Personnel de Formation (CPF/CIF), or Pôle Emploi. Customer acquisition is sales-led, driven by direct website contact forms and inbound inquiries rather than outbound enterprise sales. No public pricing, revenue figures, customer logos, or named enterprise contracts are disclosed in the source material. The go-to-market motion is structurally diversified across individual job seekers, career-advancing employees, and B2B workforce-training requests, though no segment-level revenue mix is available.

Name

Groupe CAT (Apave)

Legal name

APAVE

Website

https://cat3ae-formations.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CAT 3AE is a regional French vocational training center in Centre-Val de Loire, operated by CATPRO (the Apave Group's training subsidiary). It delivers 14 certified programs across industrial maintenance, production, electrical, pharmaceutical, and nuclear trades to job seekers, employees, and enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Orléans

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Training Services: CAT 3AE provides professional training services including qualifying and diploma programs ranging from 3 days to 1 year. Revenue is generated through training fees, with financing options including personal funding, enterprise funding, CIF (Individual Training Account), and Pole Emploi. Programs target both job seekers returning to employment and employees seeking skill advancement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Groupe CAT (Apave) operates CAT 3AE, a continuing education and vocational training center in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. It delivers qualifying and diploma-level professional training programs of 3 days to 1 year in duration across industrial maintenance, industrial production, electrical trades, pharmaceutical/cosmetic manufacturing, and nuclear power plant (CNPE) trades, leading to French-recognized certifications (Titres Professionnels, CQP, CQPM) at Levels 3 and 4.

Product overview

Groupe CAT (Apave) operates as a unified platform of vocational training and professional certification programs under the Apave group's 150-year-old risk management expertise. The offering encompasses 14 distinct training products organized across five professional domains: Industrial Maintenance (EMI, OMI, TMI), Industrial Production (CIMA, CEI, TPI), Electrical Trades (Monteur-câbleur, EEB, EIMSA), Pharmaceutical/Cosmetic Manufacturing (Agent de Fabrication, Agent de Compression, OMAPICI), and Nuclear Power Sector (CNPE specialized trades). Programs range from 3 days to 1 year, offering both qualifying and diploma-level certifications aligned with French professional qualification frameworks (TP, CQP) at Levels 3 and 4. The training is delivered through 170 formation sites across France with accessibility at multiple regional locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CAT 3AE: Centre de formation continue Orléans et région Centre - vocational training center offering courses in industrial production, maintenance, electricity, and pharmaceutical/cosmetic sectors.

Products and services

• EMI - Électromécanicien de Maintenance Industrielle
• OMI - Opérateur de Maintenance Industrielle
• TMI - Technicien de Maintenance Industrielle
• CIMA - Conducteur d'Installation et de Machine Automatisée
• CEI - Conducteur d'Équipements Industriels
• TPI - Technicien de Production Industrielle
• Monteur - Câbleur en Équipements Électriques
• EEB - Électricien d'Équipement du Bâtiment
• EIMSA - Électricien d'Installation et de Maintenance des Systèmes Automatisés
• Agent de Fabrication Pharma Cosmétique Industrielle
• Agent de Compression
• OMAPICI - Opérateur de Production sur Machines Automatisées en Pharmacie Industrielle et Cosmétique Industrielle
• CNPE Formations (Soudeur, Tuyauteur, Électricien Maintenance, Assemblage-boulonné)

Quantifiable outcome

• Training programs of 3 days to 1 year duration for various professional qualification levels

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GRETA (Réseau des GRETA): Public continuing-education network operated through the French national education system, offering Qualiopi-certified vocational programs across all French regions including industrial and electrical trades. Directly competes for the same CPF/Pôle Emploi-funded adult learners.
• AFTRAL: Major French vocational training provider focused on transport, logistics, and industrial safety qualifications. Comparable Qualiopi-certified model serving job seekers and employed workers seeking TP/CQP-recognized credentials.
• AFPA (Agence nationale pour la formation professionnelle des adultes): France's largest public vocational training organization delivering qualifying programs across industrial, building, and service trades. Directly comparable to CAT 3AE on credentialed adult vocational training funded via CPF and Pôle Emploi.
• AFPE (Association de Formation Professionnelle de l'Industrie): French non-profit providing industrial vocational training programs, including electrical, mechanical, and automation qualifications. Direct comparable on program portfolio, funding model (CPF/Pôle Emploi), and target learner segments.
• Compagnons du Devoir: French apprenticeship and trades training organization offering qualifying programs in building, industrial, and craft trades. Comparable on the apprenticeship/qualifying pathway model and recognition under French professional certification frameworks.
• CFAI (Centres de Formation d'Apprentis de l'Industrie): Network of French industrial apprenticeships centers delivering qualifying programs in manufacturing, maintenance, and automation. Comparable on program mix, employer connections, and TP/CQP certification pathways.
• AFPI / Pôles Formation UIMM: Industry-funded network providing industrial maintenance, production, and mechatronics training to French manufacturers. Highly comparable on program mix (maintenance technicians, automation) and target audience of industrial employers and job seekers.

Broad incumbents

• CCI Formation (Chambers of Commerce and Industry): Network of regional CCI-operated training centers delivering vocational and continuing-education programs across France, including industrial and technical trades. Larger and more diversified than CAT 3AE but overlaps on credentialed adult training.
• ISCOD (numen) / Centre de formation Apave global: Apave's broader group offering including inspection, certification, and other continuing-education services beyond CAT 3AE. Comparable as the parent platform through which CAT 3AE operates, illustrating the broader Apave training portfolio.
• ManpowerGroup (training division): Global staffing group that operates vocational training and workforce upskilling programs in France, including industrial and technical trades. Larger and broader portfolio, but overlaps with CAT 3AE on preparing job seekers for industrial roles.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cat-3ae-formations

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Groupe CAT (Apave)