Heinrich-Hertz-Berufskolleg

What Heinrich-Hertz-Berufskolleg does

Heinrich-Hertz-Berufskolleg (HHBK) is a public vocational college (Berufskolleg der Sekundarstufe II) located at Redinghovenstr. 16 in Düsseldorf, Germany. It is organized as a Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts (corporation under public law), operated by the Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf and legally overseen by the Ministerium für Schulen und Weiterbildung des Landes Nordrhein-Westphalia. The school delivers vocational education across four core disciplines — electrical engineering, information technology, chemistry, and biology — through a multi-tier program structure: Berufsfachschule (vocational preparation), dual betriebliche Ausbildung (company-based apprenticeships), full-time schulische Ausbildung (school-based assistant programs), Fachoberschule (technical secondary), and Fachschule für Technik (part-time technician education leading to 'Bachelor Professional in Technik'). The school charges no tuition; all programs are publicly funded.

The school's infrastructure includes fixed iPad classes, interactive whiteboards, a Moodle-based student intranet (Lernportal HHBK), labs self-described as among Europe's most modern ET-Labore, state-of-the-art chemistry and biology laboratories, and a recently acquired ABB CRB 15000 collaborative robot in modernized room C019. It has held Cisco Networking Academy status since 2004, offering free cybersecurity, IoT, and network simulation courses. Students can also earn KMK foreign language certificates (CEFR A2–C1) and additional credentials through partnerships with Lernort Studio. The school maintains international exchange partnerships with institutions in Spain (CIFP Don Bosco), France/La Réunion (Lycée Albert Ramassamy, Lycée de L'Horizon, Lycée Roches Maigres), and the United States (Leeward Community College, Hawaii, via the GATE program funded by the Joachim Hertz Stiftung), as well as apprenticeship partnerships with companies including Vössing, Sipgate, Peakwork, Crossmedia, Wilken, Stadtwerke Düsseldorf, Flughafen Düsseldorf, Rheinbahn, Komatsu, 3M, and MMC.

HHBK is led by Schulleiter Michael Suermann and operates with a small reported headcount of approximately 18 employees. Its go-to-market is event-driven: annual Tag der offenen Tür (open house) events, participation in the 'Lust auf Handwerk' career fair, school-partnership outreach, social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, YouTube), and earned media via Antenne Düsseldorf, RP Online, and RTL. The school is recognized as 'Schule ohne Rassismus – Schule mit Courage' and operates with a public-sector funding model that precludes commercial revenue, M&A activity, or equity-based growth trajectories.

Name

Heinrich-Hertz-Berufskolleg

Legal name

Heinrich-Hertz-Berufskolleg

Website

https://hhbk.de

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Heinrich-Hertz-Berufskolleg is a publicly funded vocational college in Düsseldorf, Germany, offering tuition-free technical education in electrical engineering, IT, chemistry, and biology to secondary-level students and apprentices under municipal and NRW state oversight.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Training

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Diploma-to-Degree / Articulation & Credit-Transfer Pathways (EDAIAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAE), Credentialing, Academic Credit, Assessment & Transcript Services (EDAIAFAO), Professional & Executive Short Courses (Non-Degree, International) (EDAIAIAH), Under-18 / High School-to-University Foundation Pathways (EDAIAJAI)

Keywords

• Vocational education
• Technical training
• Electrical engineering
• Information technology
• Chemistry and biology

Headquarters

HQ city

Düsseldorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Educational Funding: As a public Berufskolleg (vocational school) of the Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf, the school is funded by government allocations from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (Ministerium für Schulen und Weiterbildung des Landes NRW) and the municipal budget. No tuition fees are charged to students.
2. Supplementary Program Fees (Lernort Studio): The school cooperates with Lernort Studio (LOS), a state-funded institution of NRW and the city of Düsseldorf, through which students can access free courses and certifications. No direct revenue flows to the school from this program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Heinrich-Hertz-Berufskolleg is a public vocational college that delivers tuition-free vocational education and training in electrical engineering, information technology, chemistry, biology, and mechatronics. Its core offerings include Berufsfachschule programs for vocational preparation, dual company-based apprenticeships (betriebliche Ausbildung), full-time school-based training (schulische Ausbildung) for technical assistant qualifications, Fachoberschule programs leading to Fachhochschulreife, and part-time Fachschule für Technik continuing education leading to the 'Bachelor Professional in Technik'. Additional qualifications (KMK Fremdsprachenzertifikat, Cisco NetAcad certifications, ABB robotics training) and international exchange programs extend the core offering.

Product overview

Heinrich-Hertz-Berufskolleg (HHBK) is a public vocational school (Berufskolleg) in Düsseldorf, Germany, offering a comprehensive portfolio of technical and scientific education programs. The institution operates a multi-tier educational structure comprising: (1) Berufsfachschule programs providing vocational preparation in natural sciences, electrical engineering, and IT; (2) Dual vocational training (betriebliche Ausbildung) in electronics, IT, chemistry, and mechatronics; (3) Full-time school programs (schulische Ausbildung) for IT assistants, chemical/biological technical assistants leading to Abitur (AHR) or Fachhochschulreife (FHR); (4) Fachoberschule programs in computer science and electrical engineering; (5) Technical school (Fachschule für Technik) in electrical and chemical engineering leading to 'Bachelor Professional in Technik' certification. The school emphasizes technical education with modern facilities including EU's most advanced electrical labs, state-of-the-art IT equipment, and cutting-edge chemistry laboratories. HHBK also offers additional qualifications including KMK foreign language certificates and Cisco NetAcad certifications, and maintains a strong international focus with Erasmus+ partnerships, school exchanges, and vocational training exchanges worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Berufsfachschule Programs (BFS) Vocational preparatory school programs (Berufsfachschule) for students needing lower secondary qualifications (Sek. I), available in three Schwerpunkte: Physik/Chemie/Biologie, Elektrotechnik, and Informations- und Telekommunikationstechnik. Targeted at young people seeking career orientation and recognised German school-leaving certificates.
• Betriebliche Ausbildung (Dual Vocational Training) Dual vocational training (betriebliche Ausbildung) programs combining in-school theoretical instruction with on-the-job company apprenticeships. Offered trades include Elektroniker/in (Automatisierungstechnik, Betriebstechnik, Energie- und Gebäudetechnik, Gebäudesystemintegration, Informations- und Telekommunikationstechnik), Industrieelektriker/in, Informationselektroniker/in, IT-Systemelektroniker/in, Mechatroniker/in, Chemielaborant/in, Chemikant/in, Gebäudereiniger/in, and four Fachinformatiker/in specialisations (Anwendungsentwicklung, Systemintegration, Daten- & Prozessanalyse, Digitale Vernetzung).
• Schulische Ausbildung (Full-time School-based Vocational Programs) Full-time school-based vocational training (schulische Ausbildung) leading to assistant qualifications combined with higher education entrance credentials. Includes Informationstechnische/r Assistent/in (ITA), Chemisch-Technische/r Assistent/in (CTA), and Biologisch-Technische/r Assistent/in (BTA), each offered with either AHR (Abitur) or FHR (Fachhochschulreife).
• Fachoberschule Informatik (FHR) Fachoberschule Informatik provides two-year upper secondary education combining computer science specialisation with general education, leading to the Fachhochschulreife (FHR) qualification and access to German universities of applied sciences.
• Fachoberschule Elektrotechnik (FHR) New Fachoberschule program in electrical engineering (Elektrotechnik) leading to the Fachhochschulreife (FHR), planned to start in school year 26/27, providing both electrical engineering specialisation and higher education access.
• Fachschule für Technik – Elektrotechnik Part-time evening program (Fachschule für Technik) in electrical engineering leading to the 'Staatlich geprüfte/r Techniker/in' (Bachelor Professional in Technik) qualification, with optional Fachhochschulreife (FHR) and IHK trainer examination (Ausbildereignungsprüfung). Designed for employed skilled workers pursuing career advancement over roughly 4 years of part-time study.
• Fachschule für Technik – Chemietechnik Part-time program at the Fachschule für Technik in chemical engineering technology for working professionals, providing advanced technical qualifications in chemical process technology.
• Cisco NetAcad Certification Program Additional qualification program offering free Cisco Networking Academy introductory courses in cybersecurity, Internet of Things, and network simulation, available to all HHBK students in German and English without prerequisites. Delivered under HHBK's Cisco Networking Academy partnership since 2004.
• KMK Fremdsprachenzertifikat Additional qualification awarding the standardised KMK foreign language certificate (Kultusministerkonferenz) at CEFR levels A2 through C1, certifying professional foreign language skills for vocational contexts and recognised nationwide across Germany.
• ABB Collaborative Robot (CRB 15000) Training Robotics training program conducted on the ABB collaborative robot CRB 15000 in the modernized room C019, providing teachers and students with hands-on training in modern automation and collaborative robotics. The training is delivered in cooperation with ABB Robotics Deutschland GmbH.

Quantifiable outcome

• The 'Lust auf Handwerk' trade fair held at the HHBK campus attracted approximately 3000 students from Düsseldorf schools
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MMC (Düsseldorf)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026MMC is a Düsseldorf-based company that maintains a long-standing partnership with the Fachoberschule Informatik at HHBK. The company takes annual interns and provides one-year practical training placements (Praktikumsplätze) for IT students, offering valuable real-world exposure and helping bridge the gap between school education and the professional IT world. The collaboration has been ongoing for years with positive outcomes for students.
• Cisco Networking AcademycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2004The Heinrich-Hertz-Berufskolleg has been a Cisco Networking Academy (CA) since 2004. The school offers free introductory courses from the Cisco Networking Academy portfolio in German and English, covering cybersecurity, Internet of Things, and network simulation. No prerequisites are required, and the courses are available to all students.
• Lernort Studio (LOS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLernort Studio is an institution of the state of NRW and the Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf that offers open courses to all Düsseldorf students from grade 10 onwards. HHBK cooperates with LOS, and students can attend LOS courses free of charge and earn certificates. LOS is located at Aachener Strasse.
• Leeward Community College (Pearl City, Hawaii, USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHHBK maintains an active exchange partnership with Leeward Community College in Pearl City, Hawaii, facilitated by the GATE program (German Apprenticeship Training Exchange) funded by the Joachim Hertz Stiftung. Apprentices from HHBK (Fachinformatik and Elektriker/Gebäudesystemintegration) travel to Hawaii for 3 weeks of study at the college, staying with host families. Dual training partner companies Vössing, Sipgate, Peakwork, Crossmedia, Wilken, and Elektrobrüder co-financed the exchange and will host returning American students in 2024.
• Lycée Professionnel Albert Ramassamy (La Réunion)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHHBK conducts student exchange programs with Lycée Professionnel Albert Ramassamy in La Réunion (French overseas department). Activities include tandem language courses, joint practical projects, company visits (Mercedes-Benz, Stadtwerke Düsseldorf, Flughafen Düsseldorf), and cultural excursions. Students from both schools document their experiences collaboratively, and exchanges involve both outbound trips to La Réunion and hosting French students in Düsseldorf.
• Lycée professionnel de L'Horizon (Sainte-Clotide, La Réunion)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA well-established exchange partnership with Lycée professionnel de L'Horizon in Sainte-Clotide, La Réunion. The exchange includes a virtual tandem language course (via Jitsi/Zoom), job shadowing visits (in January 2023, five French teachers visited HHBK for job shadowing), and student exchange visits. Students work together on joint projects at companies such as Stadtwerke Düsseldorf, 3M Hilden, and Flughafen Düsseldorf.
• Lycée professionnel Roches Maigres (La Réunion)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHHBK maintains an exchange partnership with Lycée professionnel Roches Maigres in La Réunion. Exchanges include tandem language courses and workplace visits for French students at local companies including Rheinbahn AG and Komatsu Germany GmbH, where HHBK students mentor their French counterparts.
• CIFP Don Bosco (Errenteria, Spain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHHBK established a school partnership with CIFP Don Bosco in Errenteria (near San Sebastián), Spain, beginning with a video conference in August 2023. Spanish students visited HHBK in September 2023. The partnership involves joint chemistry lab work (analyzing Paracetamol/ASS using Pantothenic organisms) and is being developed with potential Erasmus+ funding support.
• Stadtwerke DüsseldorfminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStadtwerke Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf public utilities) hosts French exchange students from La Réunion partner schools for workplace visits and practical experiences. HHBK students at Stadtwerke also work alongside their French tandem partners during exchanges, gaining exposure to energy systems, building technology, and airport operations.
• Flughafen Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf Airport)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDüsseldorf Airport hosted French exchange students from partner schools in La Réunion as part of the HHBK exchange program, providing workplace exposure in areas such as cooling systems, electrical systems, and airport vehicle operations.
• Rheinbahn AG (Düsseldorf)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRheinbahn AG, the public transport provider in Düsseldorf, hosted French exchange students from La Réunion partner schools during their visit to HHBK. Students received hands-on exposure to electric mobility, public transport maintenance, and engineering operations.
• Komatsu Germany GmbH (Düsseldorf)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKomatsu Germany GmbH hosted French exchange students from La Réunion during their exchange visit to HHBK, providing a factory tour covering the training workshop, construction, heat treatment, final assembly, and production areas.
• 3M (Hilden, Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner3M in Hilden hosted French exchange students from La Réunion partner schools during their visit to Düsseldorf, providing a company tour as part of the cultural and professional exchange program.
• Hochschule Düsseldorf (HSD) / ZIESminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school collaborates with Hochschule Düsseldorf (HSD), specifically its ZIES (Zentrum für Innovative Energiesysteme), for projects such as 'Energiewende macht Schule' during project days and electromobility workshops where students build electric Hot Rod vehicles.
• Tag der offenen Tür (annual open house)minorOthersThe annual Tag der offenen Tür (open house day) serves as a key enrollment and outreach event, attracting prospective students and their families to experience the school's programs, laboratories, and teaching firsthand. The event features hands-on activities, individual counseling, and campus tours.
• Kreishandwerkerschaft DüsseldorfcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Kreishandwerkerschaft Düsseldorf co-organized the 'Lust auf Handwerk' (Lust for Trade) trade fair held at the HHBK campus. The event, also organized with Kommunale Koordinierung, attracted approximately 3000 students from Düsseldorf schools and featured workshops in pottery, welding, and tile laying. NRW Minister Karl-Josef Laumann attended.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wilhelm-Emmanuel-von-Ketteler-Berufskolleg: Public Berufskolleg in Münster, NRW, providing dual vocational training and Fachoberschule programs in technical and social disciplines. Comparable public governance structure and program mix to HHBK.
• Friedrich-List-Berufskolleg: Public vocational college in Herford, NRW, with broad technical and business vocational tracks. A peer through its dual-training portfolio and Fachoberschule offerings under the same NRW legal framework.
• Max-Born-Berufskolleg: Public Berufskolleg located in the same NRW metropolitan region (Ratingen/Düsseldorf area) offering natural sciences and technical vocational tracks. Competes with HHBK directly for the Düsseldorf-area student catchment and apprenticeship placements.
• Hans-Böckler-Berufskolleg Marl: NRW public Berufskolleg with strong technical and electrical engineering focus. Comparable in governance (public Körperschaft), program structure (dual apprenticeship + FOS + Fachschule), and student demographic.
• Konrad-Adenauer-Berufskolleg: Public Berufskolleg in NRW offering technical and commercial vocational programs. Comparable in scope (electrical, IT, mechatronics dual training) and in operating under state funding with no tuition.
• Berufskolleg Köln-Mülheim: Large public Berufskolleg in Cologne offering dual vocational training, FOS, and full-time school-based programs in technical and commercial disciplines. Operates under the same NRW school law and ministerial supervision as HHBK.
• Walter-Gropius-Berufskolleg: Public Berufskolleg in Bochum, NRW, offering technical and vocational programs in electrical engineering, IT, and design. Directly comparable as a public-sector technical Berufskolleg competing for the same apprenticeship and student pool in NRW.
• Carl-Reuther-Berufskolleg: Public Berufskolleg in Leverkusen, NRW, with technical vocational tracks in electrical, IT, and chemistry. Closely mirrors HHBK's mix of dual training, FOS, and Fachschule für Technik programs under the same NRW ministerial oversight.

Others

• Cisco Networking Academy (Global Program): Global curriculum and certification provider with which HHBK is an Academy partner since 2004. Relevant as an ecosystem enabler: the same program structure is operated by hundreds of other Berufskollegs and universities worldwide, framing HHBK's certification offering.

Broad incumbents

• IHK Bildungszentrum (Industrie- und Handelskammer): Chamber of Commerce-operated vocational training centers across NRW that administer commercial and IT apprenticeships. Overlaps with HHBK on Fachinformatiker and industrial apprenticeships, but operates at a regional/systemic scale rather than a single school.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hhbk_dus
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCk98swlfxslh0Mu7r7jqM-A
• Facebookfacebook.com/heinrichhertz
• Instagraminstagram.com/hhbk_duesseldorf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heinrich-hertz-berufskolleg

Compliance3 records

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 Heinrich-Hertz-Berufskolleg