Colo

What Colo does

Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven (SBB, formerly known as Colo) is a Dutch government-mandated collaboration organization headquartered in Zoetermeer, Netherlands. Founded to bridge secondary vocational education (mbo) and the Dutch business sector, SBB carries out official tasks on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW): it recognizes and oversees learning companies (leerbedrijven) that host mbo internships and apprenticeships, develops and maintains the national mbo qualification structure (kwalificatiestructuur), mediates placement disputes, and produces labor market intelligence. The organization serves four primary constituencies — businesses seeking recognition and subsidized training pathways, mbo educational institutions (ROCs and vakbondsscholen) needing qualification framework support, mbo students seeking internships or apprenticeships, and regional labor market partners (arbeidsmarktpartners, including Werkcentra) supporting adult reskilling. Operating reach covers all Dutch regions and thousands of recognized learning companies across every sector.

SBB's product portfolio is anchored by a set of national web platforms: MijnSBB (the self-service portal for recognized learning companies), Stagemarkt.nl (the national internship marketplace), Leerbanenmarkt.nl (the BBL/apprenticeship marketplace), KiesMBO.nl (career guidance for prospective mbo students), and SBB Werkverkenner (a career exploration tool). Supporting services include Diplomawaardering (diploma evaluation and certificate supplement downloads for international recognition), Regionale Arbeidsmarktinformatie dashboards (regional labor market analytics), Studie in Cijfers (statistical tools for mbo institutions), Praktijkverklaring (formal competency statements for non-traditional learners), the Stagepact mbo initiative (sector-wide commitment to internship coverage), and CompetentNL, a national skills and competency framework launched September 2025. The Stagebarometer tracking service reported 4,404 mbo students still seeking internship placement in December 2025.

The business model is public, not commercial. SBB receives its mandate and operational funding from the Dutch Ministry of Education and does not charge fees for learning company recognition, internship matching support, qualification development, or labor market information. The organization employs 113 people and operates alongside sectoral advisory bodies (overlegtafels, sectorkamers, thema-adviescommissies) that align curricula and qualification standards with industry needs. Recent activity has emphasized digital platform expansion — CompetentNL (Sep 2025), the 2026 Beste Leerbedrijf refresh (Dec 2025), Regionale Arbeidsmarkt dashboards (Mar 2026), and the PraktijkPraat podcast (Apr 2026) — alongside a leadership transition in the Director of Services role from interim holder Fred van Rooijen (2025) to Malini Dhoenmoen (2026).

Name

Colo

Legal name

Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven

Website

https://colo.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven (formerly Colo / SBB) is a Dutch government-mandated body connecting secondary vocational education (mbo) institutions with businesses nationwide. It operates digital marketplaces for internship and apprenticeship matching and maintains the national mbo qualification framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Labor Market Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Admissions, Enrollment & Registrar Operations (Application Processing, Records) (EDAEALAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Project, Quality & Operations (PMP PDUs, Six Sigma, Quality CE) (EDAAALAM)

Keywords

• Vocational education services
• Internship marketplace
• Apprenticeship matching
• Learning company recognition
• Labor market intelligence

Headquarters

HQ city

Zoetermeer

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: SBB performs tasks commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Education (OCW). As a public sector organization, SBB receives government funding to carry out its mandate of connecting vocational education with the business sector.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Colo/SBB operates as the Dutch national collaboration organization connecting vocational education (mbo) with the business sector. It recognizes and supports learning companies that provide internships and apprenticeships, maintains the national qualification structure, and runs digital marketplaces (Stagemarkt.nl, Leerbanenmarkt.nl, KiesMBO.nl) that match mbo students with work-based learning opportunities. The organization also produces regional labor market intelligence and the CompetentNL skills framework under a mandate from the Ministry of Education (OCW).

Product overview

Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven (SBB) operates as a unified platform connecting vocational education (mbo) with the business sector. The core offering consists of web-based portals and marketplaces including MijnSBB (company portal), Stagemarkt.nl (internship marketplace), Leerbanenmarkt.nl (apprenticeship marketplace), and KiesMBO.nl (student guidance platform). Supporting services include diplomawaardering (diploma evaluation), regional labor market dashboards, practical certification (praktijkverklaring), and the CompetentNL skills framework. All offerings work together to facilitate work-based learning, internships, and the matching of mbo students with recognized learning companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Stagemarkt.nl: Online platform for students to find internships and work-based learning positions
• Leerbanenmarkt.nl
• KiesMBO.nl
• SBB Werkverkenner

Products and services

• MijnSBB Online portal for recognized learning companies (erkende leerbedrijven) to manage their recognition status, view and engage with students, and access SBB's services for internships and apprenticeships.
• Stagemarkt.nl National internship marketplace that connects mbo students seeking internship placements (stages) with recognized learning companies offering them across the Netherlands.
• Leerbanenmarkt.nl Marketplace for work-based learning positions (leerbanen) connecting BBL students and job seekers with companies offering apprenticeship opportunities.
• KiesMBO.nl Career guidance platform for prospective mbo students, parents, and career counselors to explore mbo programs, professions, and local job opportunities.
• SBB Werkverkenner Work explorer tool that allows users to discover and explore different professions and career paths related to vocational education.
• Diplomawaardering (Diploma Evaluation) Diploma evaluation service for mbo graduates that supports recognition of Dutch mbo diplomas in the Netherlands and abroad, including certificate supplement downloads for international employers.
• Regionale Arbeidsmarktinformatie (Regional Labor Market Information) Regional labor market dashboards and reporting that map current labor market conditions and trends at the regional level across the Netherlands.
• Praktijkverklaring (Practical Statement) Formal certification that allows companies to recognize and validate specific skills and competencies of employees or potential hires developed in practice.
• CompetentNL National skills and competency framework providing a common language for describing all possible skills across professions and industries to align education with the labor market.
• Studie in Cijfers (Studies in Numbers) Statistical tool for mbo institutions providing data for use in conversations with students and during career orientation activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most mbo students successfully find internship or apprenticeship positions through SBB's network
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• CompetentNLcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 September 2025CompetentNL is a national standard for skills and competencies launched in collaboration with various stakeholders. It provides a common language for describing all possible skills to improve alignment between education and labor market.
• Dutch Ministry of Education (Ministerie van OCW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBB performs official government-mandated tasks on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Education, including recognizing learning companies, developing qualification structures, and providing labor market information for the mbo sector.
• mbo Educational Institutions (ROC's)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBB collaborates with all regional training centers (ROC's) and mbo schools across the Netherlands to develop qualification structures, facilitate student placements, and ensure alignment between education and labor market needs.
• Stagepact mbocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStagepact is an agreement between education and business stakeholders to ensure all mbo students receive an internship or apprenticeship with proper guidance and good conditions. SBB facilitates and manages this partnership.
• Werkcentra (Work Centers)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional work centers collaborate with SBB to help workers and job seekers access reskilling and upskilling opportunities through mbo practical learning pathways.
• Sectorkamers and Theme Advisory Committees (Overlegtafels)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBB collaborates with industry sectors through sectorkamers, market segments, and theme advisory committees to ensure education aligns with sector-specific labor market needs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA): UK government agency funding education and training for post-16 learners. Comparable as a national funder/overseer of vocational pathways, though broader in scope than SBB with funding rather than operational responsibilities.
• Skills Funding Agency (legacy) / Department for Education (UK): UK department overseeing education policy including technical education. Comparable to SBB's policy alignment role connecting government priorities with vocational pathways, though at a much larger scale and broader scope.

Direct peers

• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): India's public-private partnership organization coordinating skills development and vocational training. Similar mandate of bridging education and industry demand, with parallel industry-recognized qualification and apprenticeship frameworks.
• Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB): BIBB is the German federal institute for vocational education and training, with a government-mandated role in developing qualification standards, recognizing training companies, and conducting labor market research. It is the closest functional analog to SBB — operating in a neighboring country with a similar dual VET system and federal mandate structure.
• Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE): IfATE is the UK government-backed body that develops apprenticeship standards and approves training providers. Comparable to SBB in its mandate to set national qualification standards and act as the bridge between employers and vocational education.

Regional players

• UWV (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen): Dutch government agency that administers employee insurance and supports workforce reintegration. Overlaps with SBB in the adult reskilling and labor market mobility space, and is a local partner in connecting job seekers to mbo practical learning pathways.

Others

• CEDEFOP (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training): EU agency supporting vocational education and training policy. Adjacent to SBB's mandate at the European level, providing research, qualifications frameworks, and policy coordination that complements national bodies like SBB.

Emerging players

• Springest / Springpeople: European training marketplace connecting learners with vocational and professional courses. Comparable to SBB's KiesMBO.nl and Leerbanenmarkt.nl platforms in the sense of facilitating education-to-work matching, though operating commercially rather than under a government mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SBBNL
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SBBchannel
• Facebookfacebook.com/SBBZoetermeer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colo
• Instagraminstagram.com/sbb_nl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Colo