CEFIPA

What CEFIPA does

CEFIPA (Centre de Formation d'Ingénieurs Par Alternance) is a French apprenticeship training center (CFA) founded in 1990 by CESI and GIM (Groupe des Industries Métallurgiques), recognized as the first CFA in France dedicated to engineering training via apprenticeship. The organization currently trains 745 apprentices across one bachelor program (Bachelor en Sciences et Ingénierie – Génie Industriel et Systèmes Numériques) and five engineering degree specializations: CESI-delivered Ingénieur Généraliste (4 majors, including a new Génie Électrique option launched in 2024) and Ingénieur Systèmes Électriques & Électroniques Embarqués, plus CNAM-delivered Ingénieur Spécialité Mécanique, Ingénieur Spécialité Génie Nucléaire, and Ingénieur Systèmes Électroniques (Télécommunications et Informatique). Delivery occurs across two campuses in Île-de-France — CESI Nanterre (10,000 m² of pedagogical facilities including VR/AR Virtual'Lab, Electro'Lab robotics/AI, FabLab additive manufacturing, and Digital-Lab) and CNAM Saint-Denis — under an alternating work-study rhythm.

The business model is fully anchored in the French apprenticeship funding system: training is financed by employing companies through OPCO contributions and professional taxes, apprentices pay no tuition and receive a salary as company employees (calculated as a percentage of SMIC), and CEFIPA generates revenue from those OPCO-funded contracts. Two primary customer segments are served in parallel: candidates under 30 seeking engineering degrees (persona segment) and industrial enterprises seeking to recruit and train engineering talent (business segment), the latter drawn heavily from GIM-affiliated metallurgical firms and from energy/nuclear players such as EDF, ORANO, GRTGaz, and ADEME. Go-to-market combines event-driven acquisition (Journées Portes Ouvertes, job dating, immersion days, sector colloquia including "Le renouveau du Nucléaire en Europe"), sales-led enterprise recruitment services, and community channels (alumni, tutor/mentor networks, partner referrals from CESI, CNAM, ITII Île-de-France, and international partners such as KIT). CEFIPA holds Qualiopi certification and CTI accreditation, and the CESI Nanterre campus is a designated WorldSkills France Center of Excellence following the 2025 national gold medal won by apprentice Titouan Jacquemart.

Name

CEFIPA

Legal name

Centre de Formation d'Ingénieurs Par Alternance (CEFIPA)

Website

https://cefipa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CEFIPA is a French apprenticeship training center (CFA) founded in 1990, delivering bachelor and engineering degree programs via work-study through partners CESI and CNAM. It serves 745 apprentices and industrial employers across metallurgy, nuclear, electronics, and embedded systems sectors in Île-de-France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineering Apprenticeship Education

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAALAF

Engineering & Technical Professions (PE, Engineering CPD)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Professional Licensure & Continuing Professional Education (CE/CPE)

SECONDARYEDAAANAL

Construction, Engineering & Skilled Trades Licensure Prep

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Professional Certification Programs

SECONDARYEDADACAF

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Accreditation Bodies (Institutional & Programmatic)

Keywords

• Engineering apprenticeship training
• Work-study engineering programs
• Alternance engineering education
• CFA engineering programs
• Industrial engineering apprenticeship

Headquarters

HQ city

Nanterre

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Apprenticeship Training Funding: As a CFA (Centre de Formation d'Apprentis), CEFIPA receives funding through France's apprenticeship system. Training is fully financed by the employing company through OPCO (Opérateurs de Compétences) contributions and professional tax. Apprentices receive a salary as full employees of the company.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CEFIPA is a Centre de Formation d'Apprentis (CFA) that provides CTI-accredited engineering degree programs through alternance (work-study apprenticeship) by partnering with two French engineering schools: CESI École d'Ingénieurs and Le CNAM école d'ingénieurs. The organization delivers one Bachelor program (Bachelor en Sciences et Ingénierie – Génie Industriel et Systèmes Numériques) and five engineering specialties (Generalist Engineer with 4 majors; Embedded Electrical & Electronic Systems Engineer; Mechanical Engineering; Nuclear Engineering; Electronic Systems/Telecommunications). Training is fully funded by employing companies via France's OPCO apprenticeship financing system.

Product overview

CEFIPA (Centre de Formation d'Ingénieurs Par Alternance) is a CFA (apprenticeship training center) founded in 1990 that offers a portfolio of engineering education programs through work-study arrangements. The organization provides one Bachelor-level program (Bachelor en Sciences et Ingénierie – Génie Industriel et Systèmes Numériques) and five engineering degree programs through two partner schools: CESI École d'Ingénieurs (offering Generalist Engineer with 4 majors and Systems Électriques & Électroniques Embarqués) and CNAM École d'Ingénieurs (offering Specialties in Mécanique, Génie Nucléaire, and Systèmes Électroniques/Télécommunications). Programs cover industrial sectors including generalist engineering, embedded electronics, telecommunications, mechanical engineering, and nuclear engineering. All programs combine academic study with apprenticeship in companies, with campuses in Nanterre (CESI) and Saint-Denis (CNAM).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor en Sciences et Ingénierie – Génie Industriel et Systèmes Numériques 3-year bachelor's degree program in sciences and engineering focusing on industrial engineering and digital systems, delivered through apprenticeship. Open to bac holders and includes specialization options in maintenance and data.
• CESI Ingénieur Généraliste – 4 majeures Generalist engineering degree program with 4 majors (Performance Industrielle, Génie Électrique, Bâtiment et Construction, and a fourth), offered by CESI at the Nanterre campus over 3 years in apprenticeship format. Aimed at candidates with bac+2.
• CESI Ingénieur Systèmes Électriques & Électroniques Embarqués Engineering degree program focusing on electrical and electronic systems for embedded applications, delivered at the CESI Nanterre campus in apprenticeship format.
• CNAM Ingénieur Spécialité Mécanique Mechanical engineering degree program offered by CNAM with pathways in production and innovative design, located at the CNAM Saint-Denis campus.
• CNAM Ingénieur Spécialité Génie Nucléaire Nuclear engineering degree program covering nuclear science and technology with pathways in construction/deconstruction and maintenance of nuclear facilities. Graduates work as project engineers, nuclear facility managers, and radiation protection specialists. 77% graduation rate and 73% employment rate at 6 months (2024).
• CNAM Ingénieur Systèmes Électroniques – Parcours Télécommunications et Informatique Electronic systems engineering degree program with specialization in telecommunications and computer science, offered by CNAM at the Saint-Denis campus.

Quantifiable outcome

• 77% graduation rate for nuclear engineering programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• CESI École d'IngénieurscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990CESI is the founding partner of CEFIPA (established 1990) and co-delivers engineering programs including Generalist Engineer (4 majors), Embedded Systems Engineer, and Bachelor in Science and Engineering. Programs are taught at the CESI Nanterre campus with 10,000m² of technological facilities.
• CNAM (Conservatoire national des arts et métiers)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990CNAM delivers three engineering specializations through CEFIPA: Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, and Electronic Systems (Telecommunications and IT). Founded in 1794, CNAM has graduated over 30,000 engineers since 1922, with 300 annual graduates through apprenticeship at ei.cnam.
• GIM (Groupe des Industries Métallurgiques)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990GIM is the employers' union for metallurgical industries in Île-de-France and a founding co-organizer of CEFIPA alongside CESI. As part of UIMM network, it represents majority of metallurgical and technological industry enterprises in the region.
• ITII Île-de-FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitut des Techniques d'Ingénieur de l'Industrie (ITII) Île-de-France represents the partnership between professional branches and engineering schools, grouping engineering programs in partnership with Île-de-France industrial sector.
• EDFmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerEDF co-organizes nuclear sector events and colloquia with CEFIPA, supporting nuclear engineering program visibility and industry engagement. Partner in Senate nuclear symposium.
• ORANOmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNuclear industry leader ORANO partners with CEFIPA for nuclear engineering training initiatives and participates in industry events and forums organized by CEFIPA.
• ADEMEminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAgence de l'Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l'Énergie partners with CEFIPA on environmental and sustainable industry training initiatives, particularly for green industry and energy transition topics.
• Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman technical university partner in Franco-German cooperation initiatives, particularly for the European Forum on industrial cooperation and green transition.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Polytech network: Network of public engineering schools (Polytech Paris, Polytech Sorbonne, etc.) offering engineering apprenticeship programs in industrial and electronic specialties overlapping with CEFIPA's tracks.
• AFTRAL: Largest private CFA in France for transport, logistics, and supply chain apprenticeship. Comparable CFA funding model (OPCO) and a large apprentice base, though CEFIPA specializes in engineering while AFTRAL spans transport/logistics.
• AFPA: France's national agency for vocational training, delivering apprenticeship and reskilling across many trades. Comparable CFA mechanics and OPCO-funded revenue model, though AFPA is broader (industrial, construction, services) rather than engineering-focused.
• INSA (Institut National des Sciences Appliquées): Network of French engineering 'Grandes Écoles' with apprenticeship pathways (FISA) in similar disciplines. Competes for engineering-track apprentices and recruits from the same bac+2 candidate pool as CEFIPA.
• Arts et Métiers ParisTech: Elite French engineering school with apprenticeship options in mechanics, energy, and industrial engineering. Targets similar industrial employers in Île-de-France for engineering talent.

Emerging players

• CCI France (Chambres de Commerce et d'Industrie): Operates regional CFAs and training programs for commerce, industry, and services, some of which overlap with CEFIPA's generalist engineering positioning, particularly in industrial performance and management tracks.

Direct peers

• CNAM (Conservatoire national des arts et métiers) – ei.cnam: Co-deliverer of CEFIPA's Mechanical, Nuclear, and Electronic Systems engineering programs. CNAM runs its own ei.cnam apprenticeship track and shares the same CFA-style model, target audience, and Île-de-France industrial employer base.
• CESI École d'Ingénieurs: Founding partner and parent of CEFIPA; CESI delivers two of CEFIPA's five engineering tracks (Généraliste and Systèmes Électriques & Électroniques Embarqués) and the bachelor program. Same curriculum, same apprenticeship pathway, same campus.
• ITII Île-de-France: Institutional partner that groups engineering apprenticeship programs (FITI) tied to industry branches in Île-de-France. Operates the same apprenticeship-into-engineering model with overlapping enterprise customers (UIMM network).

Others

• UIMM (Union des Industries et Métiers de la Métallurgie): Parent federation of CEFIPA's co-founding partner GIM; UIMM organizes the territorial chambers that collectively channel OPCO funding and apprenticeship demand that CEFIPA depends on. Strategic ecosystem participant, not a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCprRozn4mVaKuiqyw062MPQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cefipa

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 CEFIPA