What Espro does

Espro (Ensino Social Profissionalizante) is a Brazilian nonprofit founded in 1979 and headquartered in São Paulo that operates as the country's largest intermediary for placing and training vulnerable youth (ages 14–22) into formal apprenticeships, internships, and trainee positions under Brazil's mandatory Lei da Aprendizagem framework. Its core offerings span four program lines: FMT (Formação para o Mundo do Trabalho) for workforce-readiness training, Aprendizagem for apprenticeship placement, Estágio for internship placement, and the SAE/RAE certification infrastructure used by qualifying entities. The technical substrate combines a national recruitment/training platform with cloud-hosted learning and student information systems (Azure-backed) that coordinate intake, curriculum delivery, certification, and corporate onboarding across 1,000+ municipalities.

Espro operates a two-sided B2B/B2C model. On the supply side it recruits and prepares youth, with 50,000 impacted annually and a cumulative base of 380,000+. On the demand side it sells placement, training, and compliance services to 2,600+ corporate partners including Azul, Porto, Itaú, Bradesco, Mercado Livre, Burger King, PepsiCo, Nestlé, Coca-Cola, Volkswagen, Unilever, Roche, BMW, Carrefour, Danone, LG, Renault, Samsung, TIM, and Volvo. Revenue is generated through corporate service fees tied to apprentice/intern placement and training contracts; the organization disclosed R$ 356M in 2025 revenue with a R$ 34.8M surplus and R$ 229M+ in social equity. In 2025 Espro produced 118,413 job referrals (a 125% YoY increase), reported an 80% post-program employment rate, and has been ranked the #1 platform for hiring apprentices, interns, and trainees in Brazil for four consecutive years.

Distribution and brand position are reinforced by ongoing ESG positioning: Espro participates in the UN Global Compact, has received the Selo de Direitos Humanos for four consecutive years, and runs cinema and outdoor campaigns to extend reach with corporate buyers. Geographic expansion is active, with a new Curitiba unit opened in March 2026. The organization also extends its product surface through partnerships such as AWS re/Start, adding cloud-computing curriculum to its training catalogue. As a nonprofit, Espro is reinvestment-oriented rather than equity-financed; its growth model relies on scaling throughput within a regulated market rather than capital-led expansion.

Name

Espro

Legal name

ASSOCIAÇÃO DE ENSINO SOCIAL PROFISSIONALIZANTE – ESPRO

Website

https://espro.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Espro is a Brazilian nonprofit founded in 1979 that runs the country's largest apprenticeship, internship, and trainee placement platform, serving 50,000 vulnerable youth (ages 14–22) annually and working with 2,600+ corporate partners across 1,000+ municipalities. It generates revenue through corporate placement and training fees under Brazil's Lei da Aprendizagem framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Educational Support Services (611710), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce, Employability & Youth Skills Partnerships (EDADALAI)

Keywords

• Youth Workforce Development
• Apprenticeship Programs
• Professional Training Services
• Internship Programs
• Social Education Services

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Apprenticeship Program Fees (Empresas Parceiras): Espro charges partner companies fees for managing the full lifecycle of youth apprenticeship programs, including candidate matching, theoretical training coordination, administrative processing, and ongoing support. This is the primary revenue stream and is structured as contracted recurring fees per learner placed, aligned with Brazilian Apprenticeship Law (Lei da Aprendizagem).
2. Internship Program Services: Fees from companies for Espro's role as an integrating agent (agente integrador) connecting students with internship opportunities, including placement, administrative support, and compliance management.
3. FMT Corporate Custom Training: Companies fund customized FMT (Formação para o Mundo do Trabalho) training programs as part of their ESG and social investment strategies, with Espro designing and delivering curriculum tailored to company needs. Programs may include affirmative action quotas for women, Black people, LGBTQIAPN+, persons with disabilities, and refugees.
4. Public Policies & Government Funding: Espro operates in compliance with public policies (políticas públicas) and collaborates with government bodies at municipal, state, and federal levels, receiving support through regulatory frameworks that govern apprenticeship and internship programs in Brazil.
5. Donations and Philanthropic Support: Individual and institutional donations are accepted via bank transfer, PIX, and online donation portals to fund free training programs and social support activities for vulnerable youth.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Espro is a Brazilian private nonprofit association that delivers youth workforce development services through professional training (FMT – Formação para o Mundo do Trabalho), apprenticeship (Programa de Aprendizagem), and internship (Programa de Estágio) programs. It operates proprietary technology platforms — Sistema de Aprendizagem, SAE, and RAE — that allow partner entities to certify and manage apprentices, while also providing companies with end-to-end apprenticeship and internship administration, ESG-aligned training, and access to a national pool of trained young talent across more than 1,000 Brazilian municipalities.

Product overview

Espro (Ensino Social Profissionalizante) is a private, non-profit, charitable association that promotes social inclusion through socio-educational actions and job market integration. The organization operates as a platform-plus-programs model centered on three core programs: Formação para o Mundo do Trabalho (FMT) for professional training, the Programa de Aprendizagem (Youth Apprentice Program), and the Programa de Estágio (Internship Program). These are supported by a technology platform called Sistema de Aprendizagem that serves certified apprenticeship institutions. The portfolio includes specialized FMT tracks (Audiovisual, Diversidade, Educação Ambiental, Música, and Refugees/Migrants), social programs (Coral do Espro, Projeto Novo Ciclo, Embaixadores, Espro em Ação, De Olho no Futuro, Gestores do Futuro), and online portals (Canal Aprendiz and Portal FMT) for participant access. Partnerships like the AWS re/Start cloud computing course expand technical training offerings. The organization connects youth to over 2,600 partner companies for employment opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FMT - Formação para o Mundo do Trabalho: Professional training program focused on employability and interpersonal skills for adolescents and youth in social vulnerability situations seeking their first job.
• Programa de Aprendizagem
• Programa de Estágio
• Sistema de Aprendizagem
• SAE - Sistema de Aprendizagem Entidades
• RAE - Rede de Aprendizagem
• Coral do Espro
• Embaixadores
• De Olho no Futuro

Products and services

• FMT – Formação para o Mundo do Trabalho Professional qualification program (FMT – Training for the World of Work) that prepares socially vulnerable young people aged 14–24 for the labor market through technical, behavioral, and digital skills training, including specialized tracks in Audiovisual, Diversidade, Educação Ambiental, Música, and Refugiados e Migrantes. Delivered free to participants and offered in customized formats to corporate partners.
• Programa de Aprendizagem (Youth Apprentice Program) End-to-end apprenticeship program that recruits, trains, and places young apprentices in partner companies, handling full administrative, pedagogical, and regulatory compliance (eSocial, CAGED) under Brazilian apprenticeship legislation. Sold to companies as a managed service for meeting their legal apprentice quota.
• Programa de Estágio (Internship Program) Managed internship program that recruits, qualifies, and places student interns with corporate partners, providing administrative oversight, training integration, and ESG-aligned reporting for participating companies.
• Sistema de Aprendizagem (Learning Management System for Entities) Proprietary SaaS-style platform sold to partner entities (training institutions, NGOs, companies) that enables them to operate and certify their own apprenticeship programs in line with Brazilian regulations, leveraging Espro's methodology and technology.
• SAE – Sistema de Aprendizagem Entidades Back-office system provided to partner entities for managing apprentice enrollment, training records, monitoring, and regulatory reporting as part of the Sistema de Aprendizagem ecosystem.
• RAE – Rede de Aprendizagem Espro Membership-based network of partner training entities that adopt Espro's apprenticeship methodology, share the SAE platform, and collectively serve corporate apprentice quotas across Brazil.
• AWS re/Start (Espro Edition) Cloud computing workforce-development program run in collaboration with AWS, training young people from vulnerable backgrounds for entry-level cloud roles and connecting graduates with hiring partners.
• FMT Audiovisual Specialized track within the FMT program that trains young people for careers in audiovisual production and related creative industries.
• FMT Diversidade Specialized FMT track aimed at preparing young people from underrepresented groups for the labor market, supporting corporate diversity and inclusion hiring goals.
• FMT Educação Ambiental Specialized FMT track that trains young people for environmental education roles and emerging green-economy occupations.
• FMT Música Specialized FMT track that trains young people for careers in the music industry and adjacent creative sectors.
• FMT para Refugiados e Migrantes Specialized FMT track tailored to refugees and migrants, providing language, cultural, and professional training to integrate them into the Brazilian labor market.
• Canal Aprendiz (Online Portal) Digital portal for young apprentices participating in Espro programs, providing access to training content, learning resources, and program information.
• Portal FMT

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000 youth impacted annually through training, apprenticeship, and internship programs in 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers26 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• JC DecauxmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026JC Decaux provides outdoor advertising space for Espro's internship and apprenticeship promotion campaign. The campaign features Young Ambassador portraits in subway systems and urban billboards across São Paulo, Campinas, Rio de Janeiro, and Brasília, driving youth to online enrollment.
• Flix Media / CinemarkmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026Flix Media enabled the cinema advertising campaign 'Todo Caminho tem um Começo' (Every Path Has a Beginning) to be screened in 50 Cinemark theaters across eight Brazilian cities. Three Young Ambassadors (Silas Albertino, Milene de Paula, and Lorena Martins) starred in the film, which tells the story of real transformation through Espro's apprenticeship program.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAWS and Espro co-developed the AWS re/Start program exclusively for former Espro apprentices. The 12-week cloud computing training is delivered online live, with AWS providing curriculum, certification vouchers, and cloud training infrastructure. Participants aged 18–23 who completed their apprenticeship contracts receive free technical training and a globally recognized AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification upon completion.
• Instituto SYNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEspro and Instituto SYN co-deliver FMT (Formação para o Mundo do Trabalho) training programs. More than 70 youth are trained through three FMT classes scheduled through the end of 2026 in São Paulo, São Bernardo do Campo, and Osasco, combining Espro's methodology with SYN's social investment resources.
• GHT SocialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGHT Social partnered with Espro to deliver FMT training to 60 young people in São Paulo through three new classes. The partnership aims to open career paths for youth by combining GHT Social's social investment with Espro's vocational training methodology.
• SERPROcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSERPRO (Serviço Federal de Processamento de Dados) partnered with Espro to deliver specialized technology training, including FMT Robótica (Robotics) programs targeting trans, travesti, and non-binary youth in Fortaleza.
• BASFminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBASF hosts the BASF Tour, where FMT Education Environmental students visit the company's facilities to experience the corporate world firsthand, expanding youth career perspectives.
• NeoB (Banco Neon)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeoB partnered with Espro for youth training and professional development initiatives, supporting financial inclusion and employability for vulnerable youth.
• Sonora PaulistaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSonora Paulista provided scholarships and guitars to FMT Música students, supporting music education and youth talent development in São Paulo state.
• Secretaria Municipal de Educação de OsascominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Osasco's Municipal Education Secretariat to deliver FMT training to youth, expanding access to professional qualification in the municipality.
• Prefeitura de OsascominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOsasco Municipal Government partnered with Espro through its Youth Secretariat for FMT program delivery, combining public policy resources with Espro's training methodology.
• Prefeitura de CuritibaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCuritiba municipal government collaborated with Espro for the inauguration of a new unit and ongoing FMT training operations, including specialized FMT courses for refugees and migrants.
• ACNUR / Pacto Global (Fórum Empresas com Refugiados)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEspro participates in the UNHCR/Pacto Global joint initiative 'Fórum Empresas com Refugiados,' hosting an online seminar on June 25 on including refugees in the Brazilian labor market. Espro operates an FMT program specifically for refugees and migrants.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Per Scholas: US-based nonprofit offering tuition-free technology training and career placement to adults from underserved communities. Comparable to Espro in mission, outcome-based employer partnerships, and emphasis on building pathways to in-demand technical roles.
• Year Up: US-based nonprofit providing young adults from low-income communities with training, internships, and corporate placement. Comparable to Espro's integrated training-plus-placement model and employer-funded economics, operating as a global reference point for the category.
• CIEE (Centro de Integração Empresa-Escola): Brazil's largest nonprofit student-integration organization, operating as an 'agente integrador' for internships and apprenticeship programs connecting youth with corporate partners. Closest direct peer to Espro with overlapping customer base, regulatory positioning, and program portfolio.
• Generation: Global nonprofit training unemployed and underemployed youth for careers in technology and customer service, with employer-funded placement economics. Comparable to Espro's mission and outcome-based model, with operations across multiple continents providing a contrast to Espro's Brazil-only footprint.
• Fundação Bradesco: Corporate foundation offering free vocational education and professional training across Brazil. Comparable to Espro in its mission of training vulnerable youth and routing them into employment, with a similar nonprofit structure funded by a major Brazilian bank.
• Instituto Ayrton Senna: Brazilian nonprofit focused on youth education and development, with programs targeting school-to-work transitions and socio-emotional skills. Comparable to Espro in its youth-development focus and corporate-funded model, though with stronger emphasis on in-school programs.

Broad incumbents

• SENAC (Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Comercial): Brazil's national commercial apprenticeship and vocational training system, operating at massive scale with thousands of fixed training centers. Comparable to Espro's FMT and apprenticeship offerings, but serving a broader commercial-sector workforce rather than focusing exclusively on vulnerable youth.
• Junior Achievement: Global nonprofit delivering work-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy programs to young people, including a substantial Brazil operation. Comparable in mission and corporate-partnership model, though focused more on early-stage career exposure than placement intermediation.
• Fundação Roberto Marinho: Major Brazilian education foundation delivering vocational and socio-educational programs nationwide. Comparable in mission, scale, and the nonprofit-plus-corporate-partnership model, though its portfolio extends beyond youth employability into broader education and culture.

Emerging players

• NPower: US/Canada-based nonprofit providing free tech training and job placement to underserved youth and veterans. Comparable in the youth-to-tech-career pipeline segment and outcome-based employer relationships, particularly relevant given Espro's AWS re/Start partnership.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/EsproOficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/esprooficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/esprooficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/esprooficial

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Espro