Escola Profissional Agrícola de Conde de S. Bento

What Escola Profissional Agrícola de Conde de S. Bento does

Escola Profissional Agrícola de Conde de S. Bento (EPACSB) is a publicly funded Portuguese vocational agricultural school founded in 1913 and located in Santo Tirso, in the Porto District of Northern Portugal. The school operates from the historic Mosteiro de S. Bento complex, a National Monument originally founded in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 17th century, which provides agricultural lands and a distinctive campus environment for hands-on learning. EPACSB serves youth aged 15+ seeking professional qualifications and dual certification, with a secondary focus on at-risk youth reintegrated through CEF programs.

The school's core offering is a portfolio of professional courses: five three-year Level IV qualifications in Produção Agropecuária (Agricultural Production), Viticultura Enologia e Enoturismo (Viticulture, Enology and Wine Tourism), Indústrias Alimentares (Food Industries), Cozinha e Restauração (Kitchen and Restoration), and Jardinagem e Espaços Verdes (Gardening and Green Spaces); a one-year Level II Educação e Formação course (Operador/a de Produção Agropecuária); and a Level 5 Higher Technical Course (CTeSP) in Cuidados Veterinários delivered in partnership with Instituto Politécnico de Bragança. Course structure totals 3,200+ hours combining theoretical, scientific, and sociocultural components with Work Context Training (FCT) placements at partner companies. Technology in use is conventional educational infrastructure (GIAE Online for administration, Moodle for learning management, FileMaker-based records, and a student-developed QR-code campus tour called Roteiro por Tags), alongside the Pedagogical Restaurant Casa Rosae where Cozinha e Restauração students prepare and serve meals to the public.

EPACSB is financed primarily by the Portuguese government and the European Social Fund Plus (FSE+) through the Pessoas 2030 programme, with no tuition fees charged to students. The school holds EQAVET certification (European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training), operates under a director (Lígia Manuela Duarte Magalhães) supported by a sub-director and two adjuncts, and is governed by an EQAVET team. Revenue is not commercially generated; the value proposition for students rests on free tuition plus comprehensive support (study grants, professionalization grants during FCT, food, transport, and housing subsidies, free equipment and uniforms, and merit scholarships), and on a partnership ecosystem of 200+ agricultural employers, 100+ hospitality venues, 50+ floriculture firms, and 10+ food industry companies, supplemented by articulation agreements with four higher-education institutions and ERASMUS+ participation for international mobility.

Name

Escola Profissional Agrícola de Conde de S. Bento

Legal name

Escola Profissional Agrícola de Conde de S. Bento

Website

https://epacsb.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EPACSB is a 113-year-old publicly funded Portuguese vocational agricultural school in Santo Tirso offering Level II, Level IV, and Level 5 courses in agriculture, viticulture, food industries, gastronomy, and gardening, serving youth seeking dual certification through tuition-free government- and EU-funded training with workplace placements at 360+ regional employer partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Agricultural Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Community Colleges (Applied/CTE-Focused) (EDAHADAD)

Keywords

• Vocational agricultural education
• Professional training courses
• Hospitality and gastronomy training
• Food industry education
• Winemaking and viticulture courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Santo Tirso

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Education: The school operates as a publicly funded professional school financed by the Portuguese government and European Social Fund (FSE+) through the 'Pessoas 2030' program, which funds professional courses and education and training courses for youth.
2. Student Support Services: The school provides various student benefits including material study grants, professionalization grants during FCT (workplace training), food subsidies in kind, transport subsidies, housing subsidies, free school equipment and uniforms, and exemption from tuition fees (propinas).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

EPACSB is a Portuguese vocational agricultural school offering Level IV professional courses (3-year), Level II education and training courses, and a Level 5 CTeSP in Veterinary Care. The curriculum spans agricultural production, viticulture and enology, food industries, kitchen and restaurant services, and gardening and green spaces, combining classroom learning with hands-on training and workplace internships (FCT) at partner companies. The school also operates the pedagogical restaurant Casa Rosae where students practice real food service.

Product overview

EPACSB is a vocational agricultural school offering a portfolio of professional courses at different qualification levels. The core offering consists of five 3-year Level IV professional courses (Produção Agropecuária, Viticultura Enologia e Enoturismo, Indústrias Alimentares, Cozinha e Restauração, Jardinagem e Espaços Verdes), one 1-year Level II Education and Training course (Operador/a de Produção Agropecuária), and a Level 5 CTeSP in Veterinary Care delivered in partnership with IPB. The school also operates a pedagogical restaurant (Casa Rosae) where students gain hands-on practical experience. All courses combine theoretical learning with practical training and Work Context Training (FCT) stages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Produção Agropecuária (Agricultural Production) A 3-year Level IV professional course training technicians to plan, coordinate and execute agricultural and livestock production activities, applying methods that respect environmental preservation, animal welfare, food safety, public health, and occupational safety. It includes 3200+ hours of training with workplace internships (FCT).
• Viticultura, Enologia e Enoturismo A 3-year Level IV professional course training technicians in wine production from grape to bottle to market, including viticultural operations, winemaking, quality control, bottling, and wine tourism support.
• Indústrias Alimentares (Food Industries) A 3-year Level IV professional course training technicians to supervise, monitor and execute the preparation, transformation, conservation and distribution of food products, using Industry 4.0 informatics systems while ensuring quality, hygiene and food safety standards.
• Cozinha e Restauração (Kitchen and Restaurant) A 3-year Level IV professional course training technicians to plan, coordinate and execute kitchen-pastry and restaurant/bar activities, respecting hygiene and safety standards in food service establishments.
• Jardinagem e Espaços Verdes (Gardening and Green Spaces) A 3-year Level IV professional course training technicians to supervise and execute operations for implementing and maintaining gardens and green spaces, considering edaphoclimatic conditions and respecting occupational safety and environmental protection standards.
• Operador/a de Produção Agropecuária A 1-year Level II Education and Training course for students who have completed 8th grade, providing dual certification equivalent to 9th grade and training operators in agricultural production maintenance, crop installation, animal care, and farm equipment operations.
• Cuidados Veterinários (CTeSP) A Level 5 Higher Technical Professional Course (CTeSP) offered in partnership with Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB), training technicians in veterinary care and enabling progression to higher education.
• Restaurante Pedagógico Casa Rosae A pedagogical restaurant where students of the Kitchen and Restaurant course prepare and serve real meals as practical training, open to the public on Tuesdays and Fridays from 12:30 to 14:00.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dual certification enabling both employment and university access
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Instituto Politécnico de BragançacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education institution partnership for CTeSP (Higher Technical Professional Course) in Veterinary Care, allowing students to progress to higher education.
• Instituto Politécnico de Viana do CastelocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education institution providing articulation for student progression to higher education.
• Universidade do MinhocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for student progression to higher education after completing professional courses.
• Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto DourocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for student progression to higher education after completing professional courses.
• Câmara Municipal de Santo TirsocoreOthersMunicipal government partnership providing institutional support and collaboration in educational initiatives.
• Câmara Municipal da MaiaminorOthersMunicipal government partnership providing institutional support.
• Câmara Municipal de Paços de FerreiraminorOthersMunicipal government partnership providing institutional support.
• Pessoas 2030 ProgrammecoreOthersEuropean Social Fund Plus (FSE+) funded thematic programme Demografia, Qualificações e Inclusão that finances professional courses and educational training courses, providing operational funding for the school's educational activities.
• 200+ Agricultural and Animal Production CompaniescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOver 200 partner companies including farms, cooperatives, veterinary clinics, equestrian centers, and agricultural enterprises that provide workplace training (FCT) placements for students in Production Agropecuária courses.
• 100+ Hospitality and Restaurant CompaniescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOver 100 partner hotels, restaurants, and catering establishments that provide workplace training (FCT) placements for Cozinha e Restauração students, including establishments like The Yeatman Porto, Hotel Infante Sagres, and various Michelin-recognized restaurants.
• 50+ Floriculture and Gardening CompaniescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOver 50 partner companies in floriculture, gardening, and green spaces including municipalities, garden companies, and plant nurseries providing FCT placements for Jardinagem e Espaços Verdes students.
• 10+ Food Industry CompaniescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOver 10 partner food processing companies including bakeries, meat processors, and fruit trading companies providing workplace training for Indústrias Alimentares students.
• ERASMUS+ ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean mobility programme enabling student exchanges and international workplace training periods in foreign companies/institutions.
• Centro de Saúde de Santo TirsominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal health center partnership for the PRESSE (Regional Program of Sexual Education in Health) implementing health education programs.
• Serviço Municipal de Proteção CivilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal civil protection service partnership for the Civil Protection Club activities and emergency education.
• Zoo da Maia, Zoo Santo Inácio, Parque Ornitológico de LourosaminorOthersWildlife parks providing practical training venues for the Animal Handler in Captivity course (Tratador de Animais em Cativeiro).
• Estação Litoral da Aguda, Centro Ciência Viva de Vila do CondeminorOthersMarine research station and science center providing educational visits for students in animal care courses.
• Coudelaria Jaime GonçalvesminorOthersHorse breeding facility providing practical equestrian activities for agricultural production students, including feeding management and hygiene-sanitary practices.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal Agricultural University: The UK's oldest agricultural institution, offering a broader portfolio of agricultural and land management programmes; a useful incumbent benchmark for curriculum breadth and progression pathways.
• Universidade do Minho: A major Portuguese public university with biological and agricultural sciences, a partner for EPACSB graduate progression and a broad-incumbent competitor for higher-education-bound students in Northern Portugal.
• Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB): A polytechnic with agricultural and veterinary programmes that partners with EPACSB on the CTeSP in Veterinary Care; competes for higher-education-bound students in the same region and category.
• Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo: A polytechnic with agriculture and food technology programmes that partners with EPACSB for student progression, serving students in the same Northern Portugal region.
• Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD): A major Portuguese public university with strong agricultural, viticulture, and animal science programmes, serving as both a partner and competitor for post-secondary progression of EPACSB graduates in Northern Portugal.

Regional players

• ESA - École Supérieure d'Agriculture (Angers): A French agricultural higher education institution offering comparable agricultural, viticulture, and food industry programmes, providing a cross-border comparison for funding model, curriculum design, and employer partnerships.
• HAS University of Applied Sciences: A Dutch university of applied sciences focused on agriculture, food, and green environment, comparable in mission and applied-industry orientation to EPACSB's portfolio of vocational programmes.
• Writtle University College: A UK specialist higher education institution in agriculture, horticulture, and animal science, comparable in scale and applied-vocational orientation to EPACSB's course mix.

Direct peers

• Escola Profissional de Viticultura e Enologia da Bairrada: A Portuguese professional school with a comparable viticulture and enology focus, competing for similar students in Northern/Central Portugal and offering overlapping Level IV professional courses in agricultural and food trades.
• EPAV - Escola Profissional de Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural de Vagos: A Portuguese vocational agricultural school offering professional courses in agricultural production and rural development, directly comparable to EPACSB's Produção Agropecuária curriculum and serving a similar youth demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/escola-profissional-agr%C3%ADcola-de-conde-de-s-bento

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Escola Profissional Agrícola de Conde de S. Bento