CFPTS - Centre de Formation Professionnelle aux Techniques du Spectacle

What CFPTS - Centre de Formation Professionnelle aux Techniques du Spectacle does

CFPTS (Centre de Formation Professionnelle aux Techniques du Spectacle) is a French non-profit professional training association founded in 1974 under the loi 1901, headquartered in Bagnolet (Île-de-France) with 128 employees. The center is the reference training organization for technical personnel in French live performance, serving both permanent staff of theaters, cultural venues, and event companies, and intermittent workers in the entertainment sector, as well as young people aged 18-29 entering the industry through apprenticeship. Its product portfolio spans nine technical domains — Direction Technique/Régie, Prévention des risques, Électricité, Réseaux scéniques, Plateau, Lumière, Son, Vidéo, and Décor/Accessoires — delivered through catalog continuing education, apprenticeship programs leading to professional certifications, custom enterprise training (60+ sessions annually), VAE (Validation des Acquired Experience) pathways, and two formal degree programs: the Licence professionnelle Administration de réseaux scéniques (with Université Gustave Eiffel) and the newly acquired Diplôme d'Ingénierie Sonore (taken from INA in 2026).

The center operates from a single specialized campus at La Filière (92 Avenue Gallieni, Bagnolet) featuring 3 sound studios, 8 technical stages, 4 workshops for set construction, 6 computer rooms, 2 electricity labs, 5 classrooms, and a resource center with approximately 1,500 documents. Revenue is generated through professional services fees for training delivery, financed primarily through OPCOs (notably Afdas for culture and entertainment sectors), OPACIF, the CPF (Personal Training Account), enterprise direct purchase, and regional institutional partners including DRAC Île-de-France and Région Île-de-France. The center holds Qualiopi certification (mandatory for accessing French public training funds) and as of 2026 operates as a full CFA (Centre de Formation des Apprentis). Training is delivered primarily on-site at Bagnolet with on-site enterprise delivery options and mobile training kits; it also maintains European mobility partnerships for apprentice exchanges in Germany and Estonia.

CFPTS distributes its services through direct enrollment for continuing education, apprenticeship contract placement, custom enterprise solutions developed with dedicated account managers, and certification/VAE pathways. Its GTM blends B2B enterprise relationships (cultural enterprises sending staff for CPD) with direct-to-individual enrollment, supported by a website (cfpts.com), email newsletters, social media presence across LinkedIn/YouTube/Facebook/Instagram, and in-person engagement through Matinales/Nocturnales events, JPO open days, and participation in sector events such as JTSE. The center also runs a free job posting service connecting alumni with employers, reinforcing its employer pipeline and bottom-of-funnel demand for custom enterprise training.

Name

CFPTS - Centre de Formation Professionnelle aux Techniques du Spectacle

Legal name

Centre de Formation Professionnelle aux Techniques du Spectacle

Website

https://cfpts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CFPTS is a French non-profit professional training center founded in 1974, specializing in live performance technical trades (lighting, sound, video, stage, networks) for permanent staff, intermittent workers, apprentices, and cultural enterprises, based in Bagnolet with 128 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Training Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Apprenticeship Training (611513), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction, Engineering & Skilled Trades Licensure Prep (EDAAANAL), Project, Process & Quality Certification Prep (PMP, PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma, ITIL) (EDANAIAE)

Keywords

• Professional training services
• Live performance education
• Apprenticeship programs
• Continuing professional development
• Technical theater training

Headquarters

HQ city

Bagnolet

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Continuing Education Training Fees: Revenue from catalog and custom training programs for intermittent workers, permanent employees, job seekers, and individuals. Training costs are financed by OPCOs (Skills Operators), OPACIF, companies, or public organizations.
2. Apprenticeship Contracts: Revenue from apprenticeship programs for young people aged 18-29, with training costs covered through apprenticeship contracts with partner enterprises.
3. Custom Enterprise Training: CFPTS delivers over 60 custom training sessions per year for enterprises, responding to specific organizational needs for on-site or off-site training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CFPTS is a non-profit professional training center that delivers vocational education and certification programs for technical personnel in the live performance and events industry. The center offers catalog continuing education courses, apprenticeship programs for young professionals aged 18-29, customized enterprise training (over 60 custom sessions per year), and VAE validation services across disciplines including lighting, sound, video, stage management, set construction, electrical systems, and scenic networks.

Product overview

CFPTS (Centre de Formation Professionnelle aux Techniques du Spectacle) is a leading French professional training center for live performance and event industry technical professions, founded in 1974 and based in Bagnolet, France. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of training products: (1) Formations continues - catalog-based and customized continuing education courses covering technical domains including Direction Technique/Régie, Prévention des risques, Électricité, Réseaux scéniques, Plateau, Lumière, Son, Vidéo, and Décor/Accessoires; (2) Formations en alternance - apprenticeship programs for young professionals including certifications in lighting, stage, sound, video, and general stage management, plus the Licence professionnelle Administration de réseaux scéniques and Diplôme d'Ingénierie Sonore; (3) Formations certifiantes/CPF - certification programs eligible for government funding; (4) VAE - experience-based qualification recognition; and (5) specialized spaces including 3 sound studios, 8 technical stages, workshops, computer rooms, and a resource center. The center serves over 60 annual training sessions to both permanent and intermittent sector workers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Formations continues (Catalogue) Year-round catalog of continuing professional education courses covering all technical domains of live performance, available in standard format or customized for enterprises. Over 60 sessions delivered annually.
• Formations en alternance (Apprentissage) Work-study apprenticeship programs for young people aged 18-29 leading to professional certifications in live performance technical disciplines, coordinated with partner hiring enterprises.
• Formations certifiantes et éligibles au CPF Certification programs eligible for CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation) public funding, including professional certifications, qualification certificates, and diploma programs.
• Formations à la carte pour les entreprises Customized training programs designed for enterprise needs, delivered at CFPTS facilities or on-site, adapting catalog content or creating entirely new curricula.
• VAE (Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience) Experience-based skills recognition service enabling experienced professionals to obtain official certifications through validation of their prior work experience.
• Diplôme d'Ingénierie Sonore - spécialité sonorisation Formal engineering degree in sound engineering with specialization in sound reinforcement, delivered in apprenticeship format beginning 2026, originally created by INA in 2014.
• Licence professionnelle Administration de réseaux scéniques One-year professional bachelor's degree in scenic network administration (audio, lighting, video network infrastructure for live performance venues), delivered in apprenticeship format with Université Gustave Eiffel.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AfdascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Afdas is the OPCO (Skills Operator) for culture, creative industries, media, communication, telecommunications, sport, tourism, leisure, and entertainment sectors. Since April 2019, Afdas became the official OPCO for financing training in these sectors, replacing former OPCA functions.
• European Partner InstitutionsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019CFPTS maintains international partnerships for European mobility of apprentices, including collaborations with institutions in Germany, Estonia (Viljandi), and other countries for exchanges and research-action projects.
• Institut National de l'Audiovisuel (INA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016CFPTS has partnered with INA for the Sound Engineering Diploma (Diplôme d'Ingénierie Sonore), originally created by INA in 2014. CFPTS took over this training program beginning 2026.
• DRAC Île-de-FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cultural authority (Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles) of the Île-de-France region. DRAC supports and funds cultural training initiatives and is a key institutional partner for CFPTS operations.
• Région Île-de-FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Île-de-France Regional Council is a major funding and strategic partner, supporting apprenticeship programs and training initiatives in the region.
• France CompétencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational governance body for professional training and apprenticeship. France Compétences performs strategic financing, regulation, and control functions for training actors and distributes mutualized training funds.
• Université Gustave EiffelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner for the Professional License in Administration of Scenic Networks (Administration de réseaux scéniques) apprenticeship program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Full Sail University: US-based entertainment and media industry school offering degrees in audio, film, and live event production. Directly comparable on curriculum but non-overlapping geographically; illustrative of the international category of professional-grade entertainment-technical training.

Direct peers

• SAE Institute: International audio, film, and creative-media training school operating across multiple countries. Comparable to CFPTS in industry-technical curriculum (sound engineering, live production) and apprenticeship-eligible diploma pathways, with a broader geographic footprint.
• ESRA - École Supérieure de Réalisation Audiovisuelle: French audiovisual and sound training institution (with campuses in Paris and other cities). Comparable to CFPTS on the sound and video technical-training dimensions serving the live and recorded performance ecosystem.
• ENSATT - École Nationale Supérieure des Arts et Techniques du Théâtre: France's national higher-education institution for theatrical technical trades, headquartered in Lyon. Directly comparable to CFPTS in mission (training live-performance technicians — régisseurs, lumière, son, plateau) and French higher-education/qualification footprint.

Broad incumbents

• CNAM - Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers: French national higher-education institution delivering professional degrees and continuing education to working adults. Comparable in mission (career-long, professionally-oriented training) and funding infrastructure, but with a much broader and generalist portfolio.
• AFPA - Association nationale pour la Formation Professionnelle des Adultes: France's largest adult vocational training operator. Comparable on continuing-education/apprenticeship business model, public funding mechanisms (CPF, Pôle emploi), and broad certificate-bearing training — but its portfolio is general rather than specialized in live-performance trades.

Others

• INA - Institut National de l'Audiovisuel: France's national audiovisual reference institute; previously operated the Sound Engineering Diploma that CFPTS took over in early 2026. Ecosystem participant and former parent of a flagship CFPTS program rather than a direct training-services competitor.
• INALCO - Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales: French higher-education institution under the Ministry of Higher Education offering professional bachelor/master tracks. Relevant adjacency as a public specialist higher-education operator partnering on apprenticeship programs, similar to Université Gustave Eiffel's role with CFPTS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/CFPTSBagnolet
• Facebookfacebook.com/cfpts.formation.bagnolet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/cfpts-centre-formation-professionnelle-techniques-spectacle
• Instagraminstagram.com/cfpts_formation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 CFPTS - Centre de Formation Professionnelle aux Techniques du Spectacle