Schule für Gestaltung Aargau

What Schule für Gestaltung Aargau does

Schule für Gestaltung Aargau (SfGA) is a public vocational school (Berufsfachschule) headquartered at Weihermattstrasse 94 in Aarau, Switzerland, founded in 1921 as the Aargauische Buchdruckerfachschule. The institution has evolved over more than a century from a regional printing trade school into a comprehensive design, media, and creative-industry educational provider serving Northwest Switzerland (Nordwestschweiz). Its portfolio spans children's creative courses (Bildschule Aarau), a pre-university preparatory year (Vorkurs/Propädeutikum including Fachmaturität Gestaltung und Kunst), vocational apprenticeships in clothing design, advertising design, media technology, polygraphy, print media practice, and packaging technology (Berufsfachschule), an Atelier für Bekleidungsgestaltung that combines apprenticeship training with the in-house Manufaktur allesecht garment workshop, an Atelier Bildnerisches Gestalten for artistically gifted children, and continuing education (Weiterbildung) including Lehrgang 3D/Motion Design, Diplommodul 3D/Motion Design, and Lehrgang Druck- und Verpackungstechnologie.

The school's technology stack is composed entirely of third-party tools: Adobe Creative Cloud for design instruction, Microsoft 365 (SharePoint Online, Teams, Outlook, Office, Forms) for administration, ESCADA from JCS Software AG for school administration and course management, Classtime for assessments, and Drupal CMS for the public website. SfGA operates as a non-profit public institution under the governance of the Förderverein Medien Print Design and oversight of the Canton of Aargau, with strategic leadership split between Co-Schulleitung Michèle Benz (Gestalterische Vorbildung) and Luigi Garavelli (Grundbildung), administrative direction from Sabrina Policriti (Leitung Verwaltung und Dienste), and board-level oversight by Schulvorstandspräsident Jürg Fritzsche.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the school is funded primarily through cantonal subsidies and performance agreements with the Canton of Aargau, supplemented by course fees (not publicly itemized), ancillary services such as campus room rentals and E-charging stations at CHF 0.35/kWh, and donations or industry support routed through Förderverein Medien Print Design. Distribution is exclusively on-campus at the Aarau site (no online/distance learning offered), with marketing conducted through the website sfgaargau.ch, Instagram and Facebook accounts, an email newsletter via Rapidmail, and on-campus events including open days, graduation ceremonies (e.g., Lehrabschlussfeier 2026), project weeks, and the Förderpreis 2026 awards.

Name

Schule für Gestaltung Aargau

Legal name

Schule für Gestaltung Aargau

Website

https://sfgaargau.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Schule für Gestaltung Aargau is a public vocational school founded in 1921 in Aarau, Switzerland, delivering vocational and continuing education in design, printing, packaging, clothing, and media production to apprentices, pre-university students, and adults across Northwest Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Aarau, Aargau

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Schule für Gestaltung Aargau is a Swiss public vocational school offering design, media, and graphics education at its Aarau campus. Programs include Bildschule courses for children/youth, Vorkurs/Propädeutikum preparatory year, Berufsfachschule apprenticeships (clothing design, advertising design, media technology, polygraphy, print media, packaging technology), and Weiterbildung continuing education in 3D/Motion Design and printing/packaging technology.

Product overview

Schule für Gestaltung Aargau (SfGA) is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of design and media programs. The school provides foundational education through Bildschule Aarau (creative courses for children/youth), Vorkurs/Propädeutikum (preparatory year for design careers), Berufsfachschule (vocational training in clothing design, advertising design, media technology, polygraphy, print media, and packaging technology), and Weiterbildung (continuing education in 3D/Motion Design and printing/packaging technology). The Atelier für Bekleidungsgestaltung combines apprenticeship training with a manufacturing workshop, while the Atelier Bildnerisches Gestalten serves gifted youth. The institution operates as a unified campus combining theory and practice for creative professions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bildschule Aarau

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Förderverein Medien Print DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe promoting association serves as the supervisory body for the school and supports its continued development. They promote the effective use and maintenance of the school's property at Weihermattstrasse 94 in Aarau, advocate for education in graphic arts and creative industries, and strengthen industry and political networking in Northwest Switzerland's educational landscape.
• Kanton Aargau (Canton of Aargau)coreOthersCantonal government body responsible for vocational education and training. The school operates under cantonal legislation and has performance agreements with the canton for delivering educational services.
• dpsuissecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Swiss Association of Printing and Media (dpsuisse) has its headquarters at the SfGA campus, creating a close partnership for industry-education alignment in the graphics and media sector.
• TRINAMO AG (Mojo)minorOthersSocial enterprise operating the Mojo cafeteria/restaurant near the school, providing employment and training opportunities for people in the Aarau area.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HEAD Genève: Haute école d'art et de design in Geneva, covering visual arts, graphic design, fashion, and media. Comparable Swiss design education model with a strong focus on continuing education and industry-aligned tracks.
• ZHdK Zürcher Hochschule der Künste: Switzerland's largest university of the arts, offering design, media, and arts education across bachelor's, master's, and continuing education tracks. Highly comparable to SfGA in design education focus, with substantially broader scale and geographic reach.
• HSLU Design & Kunst: Design and art department of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Comparable breadth across design, fashion, and continuing education, and a direct competitor for design students across central Switzerland.
• FHNW Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst: Design and art school of the FHNW university of applied sciences, with campuses in Aarau and Basel — directly overlapping the SfGA catchment area. The closest geographic and curricular peer, offering design, visual communication, and art education at the higher-education level.
• ECAL École cantonale d'art de Lausanne: Cantonal school of art and design in Lausanne with strong industry connections and programs in graphic design, photography, and product design. A leading Swiss design school and direct competitor for top design talent.

Emerging players

• FFHS Fernfachhochschule Schweiz: Switzerland's leading distance-learning university of applied sciences, including digital media and design-adjacent programs. Represents the alternative delivery model that SfGA has not pursued, and a potential competitive pressure point for adult continuing education.

Regional players

• Schule für Gestaltung Bern: Vocational design school in Bern with a similar portfolio of Berufsfachschule, Vorkurs, and continuing education programs. Operates in the same vocational design trade space as SfGA but in a different canton.
• Schule für Gestaltung Winterthur: Design school in Winterthur offering vocational and preparatory design programs analogous to SfGA's Berufsfachschule and Vorkurs. Functions as a regional peer competing for apprenticeship-bound design students in the Zurich metropolitan area.
• GBS St.Gallen: Center for vocational and continuing education in St. Gallen covering design, media, and creative trades. Comparable multi-program vocational model but broader in scope beyond creative industries.
• Schule für Gestaltung Basel: Basel-based design school offering vocational, preparatory, and continuing education programs in graphic design, fashion, and visual arts. Operates in the same Northwest Switzerland design-education ecosystem as SfGA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sfgaargau?ref=bookmarks
• Instagraminstagram.com/sfgaargau.ch/?hl=deu.ch%2F
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/sfgaargau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Schule für Gestaltung Aargau