Pro Beruf GmbH

What Pro Beruf GmbH does

Pro Beruf GmbH is a non-profit education and training provider (gemeinnütziger Bildungsträger) headquartered in Hannover, Germany, operating since 1979. The organization delivers vocational orientation, qualification, and social integration services primarily to young people aged 15-27 at risk of unemployment across the Hannover region. Its service portfolio spans career orientation (Berufsorientierung), vocational preparation (Berufsvorbereitung), Hauptschulabschluss preparation, apprenticeship placement and support, and integrated housing-and-employment programs (Wohnen und Arbeiten) for homeless or at-risk youth. Service delivery combines classroom instruction with real operational environments: the Ausbildungsrestaurant (training restaurant), Casino im Regionshaus, Mensa Gehrden, Fahrradwerkstatt (bicycle workshop), Malereibetrieb (painting workshop), and Health & Beauty-Point function simultaneously as qualification settings and revenue-generating inclusion businesses. Programs are accessed through jobcenter referrals, school partnerships, mobile outreach (PACE mobil), and open consultation hours.

The revenue model is anchored on contracts and grants from German public-sector bodies. Primary funding flows from Jobcenter Region Hannover, Agentur für Arbeit Hannover, Region Hannover, Landeshauptstadt Hannover, and the Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Soziales, Jugend und Familie, with additional co-financing from the European Social Fund (BIWAQ, Jugend stärken, vocational qualification measures). A secondary revenue stream is generated by Pro Beruf Service gGmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating inclusion businesses (Inklusionsbetriebe) that employ people with and without disabilities. All programs are free to participants; there is no direct pricing to end beneficiaries. The company is AZAV-certified by DEKRA, recognized as an anerkannter Träger der freien Jugendhilfe, and a member of the Diakonisches Werk evangelischer Kirchen in Niedersachsen e.V. Operating structure is nonprofit: three shareholders (Soziale Gruppeninitiative e.V., Titus-Epiphanias-Kirchengemeinde Hannover, Ev.-luth. Kirchenkreis Hannover) hold the company, supervised by a six-member Aufsichtsrat chaired by Dr. Björn Hagen and led by Managing Director Anja Holmer.

Technology is conventional: the website is a WordPress CMS, the operating model is workshop-and-classroom-based, and there is no AI/ML or proprietary software product. The strategic moat is regulatory and institutional rather than technological. Approximately 22 core staff operate across 13 locations in Hannover, Burgdorf, Laatzen, Gehrden, and Wunstorf, supplemented by program-funded personnel. Recent strategic activity includes the August 2024 opening of Mensa Gehrden, ongoing operation of the Casino im Regionshaus under concession through 2028, and 2021 organic certification (DE-ÖKO-039) of catering operations.

Name

Pro Beruf GmbH

Legal name

Pro Beruf GmbH

Website

https://pro-beruf.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pro Beruf GmbH is a Hannover-based non-profit education provider delivering vocational training, career orientation, and social integration services for at-risk youth aged 15-27, funded through government contracts and ESF programs with subsidiary-operated canteens and training workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Training and Youth Employment Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF), Career Coaching, Mentoring & Placement Support Services (EDAAAKAO), Job Readiness Training & Soft Skills Development (EDAKANAD), Construction & Trades Licensure (Contractor, Electrician, Plumber, HVAC CE) (EDAAALAH)

Keywords

• Vocational training services
• Youth employment programs
• Social integration services
• Career orientation programs
• Inclusion business operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Hannover

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Employment Agency Contracts: Funding from Agentur für Arbeit Hannover and Jobcenter Region Hannover for vocational training, youth integration programs, and assisted employment services. Services include Berufsorientierung, Berufsvorbereitung, and Ausbildungsbegleitung.
2. Public Catering Operations: Operation of public canteens (Mensa Gehrden, Casino im Regionshaus, Ausbildungsrestaurant) generates revenue through food service sales. These operate as integration businesses employing people with and without disabilities.
3. ESF (European Social Fund) Project Funding: Multiple projects co-financed by the European Social Fund and Lower Saxony state, including BIWAQ, Jugend stärken programs, and vocational qualification measures.
4. Regional and Municipal Government Contracts: Funding from Region Hannover, Landeshauptstadt Hannover, and Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Soziales, Jugend und Familie for youth welfare, integration, and education programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pro Beruf GmbH is a non-profit education and training provider delivering vocational orientation, qualification, and employment integration programs for at-risk youth aged 14-27 across the Hannover region. Services include Hauptschulabschluss preparation, apprenticeship placement, career counseling (PACE), housing support (Wohnen und Arbeiten), and practical workshop-based training in trades such as bicycle repair, painting, gastronomy, and hairdressing. The organization also operates inclusion businesses (training restaurant, public canteens, bicycle workshop) where trainees gain real-work experience.

Product overview

Pro Beruf GmbH is a non-profit education and training provider (Bildungsträger) based in the Hanover region of Germany, operating since 1979. The organization is not a single product company but rather offers a comprehensive portfolio of interconnected social services, youth support programs, and vocational training offerings. The core programs include PACE (Pro-Aktiv-Center) for career orientation and job search support, various qualification workshops (Fahrradwerkstatt, Gastronomie, Malereibetrieb, Health & Beauty-Point), in-house vocational training programs, secondary school completion courses (Hauptschulabschluss), and integrated housing-and-employment projects (Wohnen und Arbeiten). The organization also operates practical training businesses including the Ausbildungsrestaurant (training restaurant), Casino im Regionshaus, and Mensa Gehrden (school cafeterias). Additional services include JUST BEst for vulnerable youth, BIWAQ job counseling, Bildungsläden community education centers, and the Jobbüro u27 youth employment office. Programs are funded through job centers, the European Social Fund, and regional government support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PACE (Pro-Aktiv-Center): Pro-Aktiv-Center for youth activation and career integration programs
• Ausbildungsrestaurant
• JUST BEst
• BIWAQ – Wege in die Arbeitswelt (WidA)
• Fahrradwerkstatt
• Health & Beauty-Point
• 2gethers craft

Products and services

• PACE (Pro-Aktiv-Center) A youth activation center providing career orientation, job search support, and individual coaching for young people transitioning from school to work, with locations in Burgdorf, Hannover, and Laatzen.
• Ausbildungsrestaurant (Training Restaurant) A training restaurant offering vocational training in gastronomy (cooking and service) for young adults, combining real-world restaurant operations with educational objectives. The restaurant serves à la carte cuisine to the public.
• Casino im Regionshaus A public cafeteria operated in the House of the Region Hannover, run as an inclusion business providing healthy meals with organic ingredients to employees and external guests.
• Mensa Gehrden A school cafeteria operated by Pro Beruf Service gGmbH since August 2024, providing meals to students at OBS/IGS Gehrden with a focus on organic and regional products.
• Fahrradwerkstatt (Bicycle Workshop) A qualification and training workshop for bicycle repair and metalworking, offering young people vocational training in bicycle mechanic skills while providing repair services to the public.
• Qualifizierung und Beschäftigung (Qualification and Employment Program) A comprehensive program providing vocational qualification and employment support for young people with special needs, operating across multiple workshops including crafts, gastronomy, and retail sectors.
• Ausbildung bei Pro Beruf (In-house Vocational Training) Direct vocational training programs for young people in recognized trades including painting, bicycle mechanics, cooking, and hairdressing, conducted in Pro Beruf's own training facilities.
• Hauptschulabschluss und Berufsorientierung (Secondary School Completion) Programs preparing young people aged 15-20 for the external Hauptschulabschluss (secondary school) examination, including preparatory courses, vocational training workshops, and follow-up support during apprenticeships.
• Wohnen und Arbeiten (WundA - Living and Working) An integrated housing and employment project for homeless or at-risk young adults aged 18-25, offering accommodation in supervised shared apartments combined with career counseling and job placement support.
• JUST BEst (Jugend Stärken - Youth Strengthening) A comprehensive support program for vulnerable youth aged 14-26, including care leavers and those at risk of social exclusion, providing counseling for education, housing, and employment matters through outreach social work.
• Bildungsläden (Education Stores) Community education centers providing tutoring, career counseling, computer access, language support, and assistance with applications and bureaucratic procedures for local residents.
• Health & Beauty-Point A qualification program in hairdressing, cosmetics, and health care services for young people under 25, offering practical training and job coaching to support entry into the beauty industry.
• PACE mobil An outreach service bringing activation offers and support measures directly to young people aged 15-25 who cannot independently access existing services, aiming to stabilize their life situations and motivate participation in employment.
• BIWAQ – Wege in die Arbeitswelt (WidA) A job counseling and support program for job seekers aged 18 and over, offering career counseling, job search assistance, application support, and coaching for professional (re)starts.
• Jobbüro u27 Laatzen A youth job office for people under 27 in Bürgergeld (citizen's income) receipt, providing individual coaching, job orientation, and group programs to support entry into training or employment.
• Fahrradwerkstatt – Reparaturen (Bicycle Repair Service) A public bicycle repair service operated by trainees and young adults in qualification programs, offering repairs, tire changes, and bike rentals at accessible prices.
• Anderer Leistungsanbieter (Alternative Service Provider) An entry procedure program for vocational rehabilitation participants (per SGB IX §57), allowing individuals to explore different occupational fields including cooking, metalwork, bicycle repair, baking, and customer service before committing to a training path.
• Ausbildung bei enercity und Üstra (Cooperative Apprenticeship Programs) Cooperative apprenticeship placement programs with regional employers enercity (Stadtwerke Hannover AG, since 2008) and Üstra Hannoversche Verkehrsbetriebe (since 2014), providing Hauptschulabschluss holders with workplace-based training opportunities including 4-week unpaid internship assessments.
• Assistierte Ausbildung (Assisted Training) An assisted training program jointly implemented with the Maler- und Lackiererinnung Hannover (Painters and Decorators Guild), providing cooperation with member businesses for apprenticeships and practical training placements in the painting trade.

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• enercity (Stadtwerke Hannover AG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2008, enercity provides additional apprenticeship positions annually for the occupation Anlagenmechaniker:in (specializing in pipe systems). Pro Beruf selects suitable candidates from program participants who have at least a Hauptschulabschluss and provides a 4-week unpaid internship to assess suitability before apprenticeship placement.
• Üstra Hannoversche VerkehrsbetriebecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2014, Üstra provides additional annual apprenticeship positions as Fachkraft im Fahrbetrieb (public transport specialist). Pro Beruf selects candidates with Hauptschulabschluss who have not found apprenticeships, and provides an unpaid internship for suitability assessment.
• Maler- und Lackiererinnung Hannover (Hannover Painters and Decorators Guild)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint implementation of the Assistierte Ausbildung (Assisted Training) program. The guild provides cooperation with member businesses for apprenticeships and practical training placements in the painting trade.
• Karl-Lemmermann-Haus e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner for the Wohnen und Arbeiten (WundA) project serving homeless or at-risk youth aged 18-25. Karl-Lemmermann-Haus provides social pedagogical assisted living services while Pro Beruf provides employment and qualification support.
• Ländliche Erwachsenenbildung in Niedersachsen e.V. (LEB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLEB supports and promotes daily operations of the Jugendwerkstatt (youth workshop) by providing instructional support for the Hauptschulabschluss preparation program.
• Waldhof (Jugendhilfeeinrichtung)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for JUST BEst project implementation at locations Garbsen and Barsinghausen, providing youth welfare services alongside Pro Beruf's employment support.
• JUNIVER, Jugendberufshilfe gGmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner with Pro Beruf GmbH in the Trägerkooperation for JUST BEst project implementation at locations Neustadt, Wunstorf, and Seelze.
• Soziale Gruppeninitiative e.V.coreOthersOne of three shareholders (Gesellschafter) of the non-profit GmbH. Operates the donation account for supporters wishing to directly help young people in need.
• Titus-Epiphanias-Kirchengemeinde HannovercoreOthersOne of three shareholders of the non-profit GmbH, located in Hannover-Vahrenheide.
• Ev.-luth. Kirchenkreis HannovercoreOthersOne of three shareholders of the non-profit GmbH, providing church-based backing and affiliation through the Diakonisches Werk.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Caritasverband für die Diözese Hildesheim e.V. Catholic welfare organization operating in the same Hannover/Lower Saxony region as Pro Beruf, delivering parallel youth welfare, employment integration, and social services. Comparable in mission and church-affiliated delivery model but operates under Catholic affiliation rather than Pro Beruf's Protestant Diakonie structure.

Direct peers

• BBQ Bildung und Berufliche Qualifizierung gGmbH: Non-profit vocational training and youth activation provider operating across multiple German states. Directly comparable to Pro Beruf in mission (school-to-work transition, apprenticeship placement, qualification programs) and funding model (Jobcenter/Agentur für Arbeit contracts, ESF projects).
• BNW Bildungswerk der Niedersächsischen Wirtschaft: Lower Saxony-based employer-led vocational training provider serving the same regional market as Pro Beruf. Competes directly for Jobcenter, Agentur für Arbeit, and Land Niedersachsen training contracts, with overlapping mission around apprenticeship placement and qualification measures.
• Grone Bildungszentrum: Vocational training and labor market integration provider with national footprint, focused on disadvantaged job seekers and youth. Comparable to Pro Beruf in offering Jobcenter-funded activation, qualification, and integration services through similar delivery model.
• bfz Berufliche Fortbildungszentren der Bayerischen Wirtschaft: Bayern-associated vocational qualification and youth employment services provider. Operates similar AZAV-certified training programs for disadvantaged youth including vocational orientation, qualification measures, and apprenticeship preparation, competing in the same Jobcenter/Agentur für Arbeit procurement markets.
• FAW Fortbildungsakademie der Wirtschaft: Vocational training and labor market integration provider serving unemployed and disadvantaged individuals across Germany. Comparable to Pro Beruf in offering AZAV-certified qualification, activation, and integration services through public contracts.
• Kolping Bildungswerk: Church-affiliated (Catholic, vs Pro Beruf's Protestant Diakonie affiliation) vocational training and youth employment organization. Comparable faith-based non-profit offering Jobcenter-funded qualification, apprenticeship support, and social integration programs across Germany.
• DAA Deutsche Angestellten-Akademie: Large national vocational training provider delivering Jobcenter-funded integration, qualification, and language programs. Comparable in target population (disadvantaged job seekers, youth) and funding model (AZAV-certified publicly funded training).
• Euro-Schulen / ESO Education Group: National vocational training and language school operator delivering publicly funded qualification, integration, and language programs. Competes for similar Jobcenter and Agentur für Arbeit contracts across Germany.

Broad incumbents

• DEKRA Akademie: Large-scale vocational qualification and labor market services provider operating as part of the broader DEKRA certification group. Competes for government-funded training contracts as a major national incumbent with significantly greater scale than Pro Beruf.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pro-beruf-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Pro Beruf GmbH