Praktijkcollege Tilburg

What Praktijkcollege Tilburg does

Praktijkcollege Tilburg is a publicly funded Dutch praktijkonderwijs (practical education) school operating from a single campus at Brittendreef 9, 5012 AE Tilburg, Netherlands. It serves approximately 275 students aged 12-18 with learning difficulties (IQ 55-80, learning gap of 3+ years) who require an alternative to theoretical vmbo education. The school is part of Stichting Biezonderwijs, a non-profit foundation running 9 schools and serving over 1,900 students with 600+ professionals.

The school's core offering is a five-to-six year program delivered across six vocational tracks: BWI (Construction, Living, Interior), CT (Consumption/Hospitality), GD (Green and Animal), EH (Economics, Commerce), MB (Metalworking), and ZSW (Care, Cleaning, Welfare). Students earn the schooldiploma Praktijkonderwijs plus industry-recognized branch certificates (SWB, SVA kitchen/metal/retail, CCV forklift). Two on-site facilities anchor the practical learning model: Restaurant Welkom, a training restaurant open to the public on Thursdays (€7.50 per lunch), and the Arbeid Training Centrum (ATC), a work training center where students perform contract packaging, sorting, and assembly tasks for regional companies. Internships begin in year 1 and are coordinated via the Borisproject and a network of stagebedrijven, with two years of post-graduation follow-up support.

Revenue is dominated by Dutch government education funding, supplemented by an ESF+ 2021-2027 subsidy (project 2025ESFp20211) for labor-market skills development and minor commercial income from Restaurant Welkom and ATC contract services. Enrollment is community-led through open days, primary-school information sessions, and shadow days, requiring an official practical education recommendation. The school operates under Biezonderwijs's Koers 2030 strategy and a 2026-2030 school plan, with no equity or external investment structure.

Name

Praktijkcollege Tilburg

Legal name

Stichting Biezonderwijs

Website

https://praktijkcollegetilburg.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Praktijkcollege Tilburg is a publicly funded Dutch practical education school serving approximately 275 students aged 12-18 with learning difficulties across six vocational tracks, anchored by an on-site training restaurant and work training center, operating under the Biezonderwijs non-profit foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Practical Secondary Education (Praktijkonderwijs)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special Education & Learning Differences Learning Centers (Dyslexia/ADHD/IEP Support) (EDANAHAJ), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Practical vocational education
• Special needs secondary education
• Workplace learning training
• Hands-on learning programs
• Internship based education

Headquarters

HQ city

Tilburg

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-funded education: As a public vocational school under Biezonderwijs, Praktijkcollege Tilburg is primarily funded through government education funding. This covers the core educational operations and staff salaries.
2. European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) subsidy: The school receives financial contributions from ESF+ 2021-2027 program, project number 2025ESFp20211, supporting employment and labor market skills development. The school participates in the labor market region Midden-Brabant for VSO and practical education projects.
3. Restaurant Welkom operations: The school's restaurant serves lunch to the public on Thursdays (12.00-13.30), generating revenue from meal sales at €7.50 per lunch (excluding drinks). Also sells seasonal flower arrangements made by students.
4. ATC contract work: The Arbeid Training Centrum performs contract work for external companies including packaging, sorting, weighing, disassembly, assembly, and seasonal work like Christmas gift packages. Companies pay for these services at competitive rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Praktijkcollege Tilburg is a public practical education school (praktijkonderwijs) for students aged 12-18 with learning difficulties (IQ 55-80). It offers a five-to-six-year hands-on program across six vocational tracks (BWI, CT, GD, EH, MB, ZSW), supplemented by an on-site Arbeid Training Centrum (ATC) performing contract work for external companies and Restaurant Welkom, a student-run training restaurant open to the public.

Product overview

Praktijkcollege Tilburg is a single-location practical education school offering vocational training for students who struggle with theoretical learning. The school operates three interconnected programs: the core educational curriculum across six vocational tracks (BWI, CT, GD, EH, MB, ZSW), Restaurant Welkom as a hands-on hospitality training facility, and the Arbeid Training Centrum (ATC) as a simulated workplace where students complete real assignments for external clients. Together, these programs provide integrated practical experience from classroom to workplace simulation to actual job placement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Praktijkcollege Tilburg practical education program A five-to-six-year full-time practical education (praktijkonderwijs) for students aged 12-18 with learning difficulties (IQ 55-80) and a 3+ year learning gap, delivered across six vocational tracks: BWI (Construction, Living, Interior), CT (Consumption), GD (Green and Animal), EH (Economics, Commerce), MB (Metalworking), and ZSW (Care, Cleaning, Welfare). Includes internships from year 1, leads to a praktijkonderwijs diploma and branch certificates (SWB, SVA kitchen/metal/retail, CCV forklift), and is followed by 2 years of post-graduation support.
• Restaurant Welkom An on-site student-run training restaurant where pupils learn hospitality, cooking, kitchen, and service skills. Open to the public on Thursdays (12:00-13:30, except school holidays), serving international lunch dishes prepared by students at €7.50 per lunch (excluding drinks), and selling seasonal flower arrangements and plants also made by students. Reservations via phone (013-463 22 96) or online form.
• Arbeid Training Centrum (ATC) An in-school work training center where students perform real work assignments for external companies under supervision, simulating an authentic workplace with work leaders rather than teachers. Services for external clients include packaging, sorting, weighing, disassembly, assembly, and seasonal work such as Christmas gift-package preparation, priced at competitive (non-publicly-disclosed) rates; coordinator Renske Spijkers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 275 students enrolled and learning through practical experience
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• De Kracht (Expertisecentrum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDe Kracht is Biezonderwijs's own expertise center that supports educational staff and students through training, coaching, guidance, and advice. They also conduct research and diagnostics for children with learning and developmental problems. Their services are free for Biezonderwijs professionals through the Biezonderwijs Academie.
• Stagebedrijven (Internship companies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school collaborates with many different internship companies to provide challenging and appropriate internship placements for all students. Internships begin from year 1 and are a core part of the practical education program.
• BorisprojectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school works with the Borisproject to ensure all students have access to challenging and suitable internship placements. This partnership helps provide diverse internship opportunities across different sectors.
• Stichting LeergeldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStichting Leergeld provides financial support to families who cannot afford school supplies, laptops, bikes, sports, swimming lessons, music lessons, or scouting memberships. The school's bridge functionary (brugfunctionaris) helps connect families with this support.
• VertrouwenswerkminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBiezonderwijs has a contract with Vertrouwenswerk for external confidential advisors (Annelies Spitz and Maarten van de Laarschot) who provide professional support after reports of impactful events or (sexual) boundary-crossing behavior at school.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Auris: Dutch organization providing special education, youth care and audiology services. Comparable non-profit operator of Dutch special-education schools serving students who cannot thrive in mainstream settings.
• Pactum: Dutch youth-care and special education provider operating VSO schools and orthopedagogical treatment settings. Comparable as a Dutch non-profit running schools for students who do not fit mainstream education, including praktijkonderwijs-adjacent pathways.
• Bartiméus: Dutch foundation providing education, care and diagnostics for people with visual impairment and multiple disabilities. Comparable as a Dutch non-profit foundation running specialized schools with strong expertise-center support.
• Stichting De Onderwijsspecialisten: Dutch foundation operating SO, SBO and VSO schools plus expertise centers for special education in the Netherlands. Direct comparable given shared mission (students with learning/behavioral needs), non-profit foundation structure, and multi-school network model.
• Koninklijke Kentalis: Dutch foundation offering special education, audiology and communication support for deaf/hard-of-hearing and language-impaired students. Comparable as a Dutch special-education foundation operating schools with certified pathways and a wider network of expertise centers.
• Yulius: Dutch organization providing special education, child & adolescent psychiatry and youth support, including VSO/SBO schools. Direct comparable given similar target cohort (children with developmental, behavioral and learning challenges) and school-based service delivery.

Emerging players

• Recolor: Dutch social enterprise supporting young people (often with special needs) toward work and independence through training and employer partnerships. Comparable for the transition-to-work and employer-engagement angle that overlaps with Praktijkcollege Tilburg's ATC.

Broad incumbents

• Stichting Carmelcollege: Large Dutch secondary-education foundation operating many schools across vmbo, havo and vwo. Comparable as a non-profit Dutch school operator with a similar multi-school network model, though much larger and not focused exclusively on special needs.
• Catapult Learning: US-based provider of special education, intervention and alternative education programs for K-12 students. Comparable as a scaled operator of specialized and alternative K-12 education services, though US-focused and broader in scope.
• ChanceLight Behavioral Health and Education: US provider of alternative education, special education and behavioral health services to at-risk K-12 youth. Comparable as a scaled alternative/special education operator with workforce-readiness components similar to Praktijkcollege Tilburg's ATC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Biezonderwijs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/praktijkcollege-tilburg
• Instagraminstagram.com/biezonderwijs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Praktijkcollege Tilburg