Ecole de production Boisard

What Ecole de production Boisard does

Ecole de production Boisard is a French vocational training school founded in 1882 by Canon Louis Boisard, an engineer from École Centrale Lyon (class of 1871), and located at 148 Avenue Franklin Roosevelt, 69120 Vaulx-en-Velin, in the Lyon metropolitan area. It was the first institution of what is now the Fédération Nationale des Écoles de Production (FNEP) network, which comprises 67 écoles de production across France. The school applies the proprietary 'Faire pour apprendre' (learning by doing) pedagogy, where students spend roughly two-thirds of their time executing real production orders for real clients under the supervision of maîtres professionnels, with the remaining time spent on theoretical coursework. Group sizes are kept between 8 and 15 students.

The school delivers four core vocational tracks — machining/productique, automotive mechanics (passenger vehicles and heavy goods vehicles), bodywork and painting, and woodworking/joinery — through programs ranging from 3ème prépa métiers through CAP (Certificat d'Aptitude Professionnelle) and Baccalauréat Professionnel diplomas. The machining workshop spans 800 m² and was fully renovated in 2022 with 5-axis CNC milling machines, dual-spindle turning centers, CNC mills, and CNC lathes. The school is Qualiopi-certified for 'Actions de Formation' and adheres to the H+ Formation accessibility charter for disabled learners. It reports a 90% average diploma pass rate over recent years and has participated in the Meilleur Apprenti de France competition for 25 consecutive years, earning three bronze medals in 2024 and the only Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Diplôme d'honneur in 2019.

Revenue is generated from three streams: tuition (partially offset by national education grants), the annual apprenticeship tax (Taxe d'apprentissage) campaign run via the Soltéa platform, and revenue from real-client workshop commissions in automotive, woodworking, and industrial machining. The school recruits students through its own website, social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram), word-of-mouth in the Lyon/Vaulx-en-Velin community, and discovery mini-internships. Strategic partners include Renault Trucks, Total Energies Fondation, WD-40, Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and the FNEP federation. The school operates as a private nonprofit-style educational institution with 29 employees and no parent company or external investor involvement.

Name

Ecole de production Boisard

Legal name

École Boisard

Website

https://ecoleboisard.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1882

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ecole de production Boisard is a 1882-founded French vocational training school in Vaulx-en-Velin delivering CAP and Bac Pro programs in machining, automotive, bodywork, and woodworking to youth aged 15–18 and job seekers through a real-order workshop model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Industrial Training

NAICS

Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Apprenticeships, Pre-Apprenticeships & Work-Based Learning (EDAAAOAC)

Keywords

• Vocational training programs
• Technical apprenticeship education
• CNC machining training
• Automotive repair training
• Woodworking joinery education

Headquarters

HQ city

Vaulx-en-Velin

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition & School Fees: The school charges tuition fees for vocational training programs. Students may qualify for national education grants (bourses de scolarité) to offset costs, making training accessible to all.
2. Apprenticeship Tax (Taxe d'apprentissage): Annual fundraising campaign (May–August) where companies direct a portion of their apprenticeship tax to the school. This funds equipment upgrades, pedagogical materials, and program development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ecole de production Boisard is a French vocational training school that delivers hands-on apprenticeship-style education in four trades — machining/productique, automotive mechanics, bodywork/painting, and woodworking/joinery — leading to nationally recognized CAP and Baccalauréat Professionnel diplomas. Students spend roughly two-thirds of their time in working workshops executing real production orders for real external clients, under the "Faire pour apprendre" (learning by doing) pedagogy. The school also operates a continuing-education POEC program for job seekers seeking CQPM metallurgy qualifications, and accepts commission-based workshops services (custom machining, automotive repair, joinery) from businesses and individuals.

Product overview

Ecole de production Boisard is a vocational training school offering a unified portfolio of CAP and BAC PRO programs across four technical disciplines: machining/productique, automotive mechanics, bodywork/painting, and woodworking. The school follows a 'Faire pour apprendre' (learning by doing) methodology where students spend 2/3 of their time in workshops on real orders for real clients. The training portfolio includes CAP Conducteur d'Installations de Production, BAC PRO Technicien de Réalisation de Produits Mécaniques, CAP Maintenance des Véhicules, CAP Carrossier Automobile, CAP Menuisier, and continuing education programs. Additionally, the school offers client-facing service offerings in automotive repair, woodworking, and industrial machining where students gain practical experience while serving external customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CAP Conducteur d'Installations de Production Vocational training program teaching students to operate production machines, produce parts, and ensure quality control in workshop settings, leading to the CAP diploma.
• BAC PRO Technicien de Réalisation de Produits Mécaniques (option réalisation et suivi de productions) Advanced vocational diploma training students in manufacturing precision mechanical parts, from reading technical drawings to operating conventional and CNC machines, leading to the Baccalauréat Professionnel.
• CAP Maintenance des Véhicules (option A voitures particulières) Vocational diploma training students in vehicle maintenance, repair, diagnostics, and troubleshooting for passenger cars, leading to the CAP.
• CAP Carrossier Automobile Vocational diploma training students in automotive bodywork repair, including damage diagnosis, structural alignment, and painting techniques, leading to the CAP.
• CAP Menuisier Vocational diploma training students in woodworking, furniture making, and custom cabinetry using both manual and CNC techniques, leading to the CAP.
• Formation Continue / POEC Continuing education program for job seekers to acquire foundational skills in metallurgy, assembly, and machining, leading to CQPM (Certificat de Qualification Paritaire de la Métallurgie) certification and professional contracts (contrats de professionnalisation).
• 3ème Prépa Métiers Pre-professional middle school program preparing students for vocational training pathways.
• Prestations Automobile (Maintenance et Réparation) Real-client automotive services including maintenance, diagnostics, repairs, and parts replacement performed by students under professional supervision.
• Prestations Menuiserie Custom woodworking and carpentry services including exterior/interior doors, windows, stairs, cabinetry, and CNC machining for real clients.
• Prestations Industrie / Usinage Industrial machining and manufacturing services for real clients, including CNC milling, turning, and precision parts production (25 to 5,000 pieces) in various materials.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% diploma pass rate (average across CAP and Baccalauréat Professionnel in recent years)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Renault TrucksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenault Trucks is listed as a partner of the school, likely providing technical support, equipment, or collaborative projects related to automotive and heavy vehicle training programs.
• WD-40minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWD-40 is listed as a partner, likely providing tools and maintenance products for the school's automotive and industrial workshops as part of a brand partnership.
• FNEP — Fédération Nationale des Écoles de ProductioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school is the founding institution of the FNEP network, which now comprises 67 écoles de production across France. FNEP provides pedagogical resources, brand identity, competitive benchmarking (WorldSkills, MAF), and collective advocacy.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CNAM (Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers): Public higher-education institution offering continuing education and diplomas (including engineering and industrial trades). Comparable in delivering Qualiopi-certified continuing education for working adults, though with a higher-education rather than CAP/Bac Pro focus.
• GRETA (Groupements d'Établissements): Public network of continuing-education providers attached to the French Ministry of Education. Offers CAP/Bac Pro and continuing education across industrial and automotive trades, overlapping with Boisard's POEC continuing-education stream but serving a broader portfolio.
• CCI France Formation: Chambers of Commerce vocational-training arm offering CAP/Bac Pro and continuing-education programs across French regions. Comparable in trade-school scope and Qualiopi-certified delivery, though with a broader business-skills portfolio.

Direct peers

• AFTRAL: Leading French vocational-training group focused on transport, logistics, and automotive trades, including CAP Maintenance des Véhicules. Overlaps directly with Boisard's automotive-mechanic track and shares the work-based, hands-on pedagogical approach.
• Maisons Familiales Rurales (MFR): Federation of rural vocational-training schools using an alternance (school + workplace) pedagogy similar to the école de production model. Comparable in target demographic (15–25 learners), diploma offerings (CAP/Bac Pro), and apprenticeship-tax reliance.
• FNEP (Fédération Nationale des Écoles de Production): The 67-school national federation of which Boisard is the founding institution. Member schools (e.g., École de Production d'Avignon, École de Production de Mougins) operate the same 'Faire pour apprendre' pedagogy in their regions and compete for the same Taxe d'apprentissage pool.
• AFPA: France's largest adult vocational-training provider, offering CAP/Bac Pro programs in industrial trades, automotive, and machining. Directly comparable to Boisard in pedagogical scope (work-based learning, recognized diplomas) but at significantly greater national scale.
• UIMM / Pôles Formation Industrie: Metallurgical-industry training network offering CQPM and CAP programs in machining and industrial production — directly comparable to Boisard's machining/productique and CAP Conducteur d'Installations de Production offerings, with strong employer funding ties.
• Compagnons du Devoir: Historic French apprenticeship movement training youth in skilled trades through a 'Tour de France' work-based learning model. Highly comparable to Boisard's école de production pedagogy and youth-apprentice target segment, though with a traditional guild orientation.

Emerging players

• Apprentis d'Auteuil: Youth-focused foundation combining educational support with vocational training in industrial and craft trades. Comparable to Boisard's 15–18 youth-learner segment and work-based pedagogy, with a stronger social-inclusion overlay.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EcoledeproductionBoisard
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecole-de-production-boisard-69
• Instagraminstagram.com/ecoleboisard

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ecole de production Boisard