SFK Schule für Förderkurse

What SFK Schule für Förderkurse does

SFK Schule für Förderkurse Zürich AG is a privately held Swiss educational institution founded in 1991 and headquartered at Heinrichstrasse 239 in Zurich (UID CHE-107.389.981). The company provides supplementary and preparatory courses for commercial vocational education across three student phases: pre-apprenticeship (Junior Merchants, Sport Academy, JobPlus, BM-Vorbereitung), during-apprenticeship (Nachhilfekurse, QV/BMP/Sprachdiplom preparation, online courses), and post-apprenticeship (BM2 preparation and tutoring). It also serves companies through federally recognized Berufsbildnerkurse and Berufs-/Praxisbildnerseminare required to legally train commercial apprentices. A flagship offering is the Junior Merchants full-year preparatory program (CHF 18,500 plus deposit), with a claimed 96% apprenticeship placement rate.

The product portfolio is delivered primarily through in-person instruction at a single Zurich location with 10 training rooms (capacities 12-22 persons), supplemented by online course access. Core technology is standard educational delivery infrastructure with no proprietary AI/ML components disclosed; group courses maintain small class sizes of 4-6 students for tutoring and approximately 20 students per Junior Merchants class. The school also functions as a QV examiner and offers ancillary room rental to external event organizers. Three core referral partnerships (IMPULSIS Berufsbildung+, JOB PLUS of the City of Zurich, Sport Academy Zürich) feed distinct student segments into the pipeline.

The revenue model blends recurring semester-based subscriptions (group courses, repetition courses) with one-time fees (Junior Merchants annual program, Berufsbildnerkurse, private course blocks, room rental). Pricing is publicly disclosed on the website, with multi-course discount structures (5%/10%/15% for 2nd/3rd/4th+ courses) and a Zurich canton subsidy reducing the Berufsbildnerkurse fee from CHF 755 to CHF 505 for eligible employers. The company holds eduqua certification (Swiss quality label for adult education institutions) and updated its privacy policy in April 2023 in line with the revised Swiss Data Protection Act.

Name

SFK Schule für Förderkurse

Legal name

SFK Schule für Förderkurse Zürich AG

Website

https://zh.sfk.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Short description

SFK Schule für Förderkurse is a Zurich-based educational institution founded in 1991 that delivers tutoring, exam preparation, and vocational matriculation courses for Swiss commercial apprentices across pre-, during-, and post-apprenticeship phases, plus certified trainer courses for companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Training Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Study Skills, Executive Function & Academic Coaching (Small-Group) (EDANAHAC)

Keywords

• Vocational education services
• Commercial apprenticeship tutoring
• Exam preparation courses
• Pre-apprenticeship preparatory year
• Trainer certification courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Group Courses (Nachhilfekurse): Semester-based tutoring courses in small groups of 4-6 students, priced per subject per semester.
2. Private Courses (Privatkurse): One-on-one or two-person tutoring sessions, priced per block of lessons. Available in-person or online.
3. QV/BMP Repetition Courses: Weekly repetition courses from January through exam period, priced per subject.
4. Berufsbildnerkurse: Five-day professional development courses for training supervisors, with subsidized pricing for Zurich canton employers.
5. Room Rental (Zimmervermietung): Rental of 10 training rooms with capacities of 12-22 persons each, for external events and seminars.
6. Junior Merchants Full-Year Program: Full school year preparatory program including tuition, materials, seminars, and internship placement support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SFK Schule für Förderkurse is a Zürich-based private educational institution (Aktiengesellschaft) founded in 1991 that delivers supplementary and preparatory courses for commercial vocational education (KV). Its portfolio covers three learner phases: pre-apprenticeship (Junior Merchants, Sport Academy, JobPlus, BM-Vorbereitung), during apprenticeship (group and private tutoring, QV/BMP preparation, language diploma preparation, Berufsbildung+), and post-apprenticeship (BM2-Vorbereitung, BM2-Nachhilfe). It also serves corporate clients via federally recognized Berufsbildnerkurse, one-day trainer seminars, and rents its ten training rooms to external organizers.

Product overview

SFK Schule für Förderkurse operates as a single-location educational institution in Zürich offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational services for commercial vocational training. The core offerings include Nachhilfekurse (tutoring in small groups), QV-Vorbereitung (examination preparation), BM/BM2-Vorbereitung (vocational matriculation preparation), and Sprachdiplom-Vorbereitung (language diploma preparation). Pre-apprenticeship programs include Junior Merchants (the flagship 10th school year program), Sport Academy, and JobPlus. For companies, they offer Berufsbildnerkurse and Berufs-/Praxisbildnerseminare. The portfolio is complemented by Online-Kurse, Privatkurse, and customized course options (Massgeschneiderter Kurs), as well as room rental services for external events. All programs are designed to support students at various stages: before, during, and after their apprenticeship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lehrvorbereitung (Apprenticeship Preparation Courses) Subscription-based courses preparing students to enter an apprenticeship. CHF 510 per subject over a 10-school-week duration (e.g., 12.05.2027 - 17.07.2027).
• Nachhilfekurse (Group Tutoring Courses)
• Privatkurse (Private Tutoring) One-on-one or two-person tutoring sessions with a teacher, the most individualized form of tutoring available. Delivered in-person or online, priced per block of 5 lessons (40 or 80 minutes each).
• QV-Vorbereitung (QV Examination Preparation) Preparation courses for the Qualifikationsverfahren (QV) qualification examination for commercial vocational students. Weekly repetition courses run from January through the exam period.
• BMP-Vorbereitung (Berufsmaturität Exam Preparation) Preparation for the Berufsmaturitätsprüfung (BMP), the commercial vocational matriculation examination, available both during and after apprenticeship.
• BM-Vorbereitung (Vocational Matriculation Preparation - Pre-apprenticeship) Systematic preparation for vocational matriculation (Berufsmaturität) entrance examinations across various specializations including Design & Art, Health & Social Sciences, Nature & Food, and Technical fields. Targeted at pre-apprenticeship students.
• BM2-Vorbereitung (Post-apprenticeship BM2 Preparation) Efficient preparation for the post-apprenticeship BM2 entrance examination for all specializations. Repetition courses run approximately 16-17 school weeks over the winter/spring term (e.g., 24.10.2026 - 13.03.2027).
• Sprachdiplom-Vorbereitung (Language Diploma Preparation) Structured preparation for international language diplomas including B1 Business Preliminary, B2 First (English), and DELF B1 and B2 (French). Available during and after apprenticeship.
• Junior Merchants (10th School Year Program) Full school year preparatory program (10th school year / Vorbereitungsjahr) for students who have decided on a commercial apprenticeship. Includes tuition, materials, Multicheck assessment, seminars, and internship placement support. Approximately 20 students per class; 96% of graduates find their KV apprenticeship position. School fees CHF 18,000 plus CHF 500 deposit.
• Sport Academy Vorbereitungsjahr One-year preparatory program combining commercial education with athletic training at Sport Academy Zürich, allowing student-athletes to combine professional sports training with preparation for commercial apprenticeships.
• JobPlus (Integrative Apprenticeship Preparation) Integrative program in collaboration with Zurich's Social Institutions and Operations (Soziale Einrichtungen und Betriebe der Stadt Zürich) helping youth aged 15-25 find apprenticeships and prepare for professional training. SFK provides one day per week of schooling while youth work at internships.
• Berufsbildung+ (Apprenticeship Coaching Program) Program accompanying youth during the apprenticeship search and providing individual support during the training period. Delivered in cooperation with Impulsis Berufsbildung+ (Impulsis handles the coaching component; SFK provides the educational courses) for youth aged 15-25.
• Berufsbildnerkurse (Trainer Certification Courses) Official five-day courses for vocational trainers (Berufsbildner) in commercial education, providing the federally recognized course certificate required to train apprentices. Standard CHF 755; Zurich-canton-subsidized CHF 505 (employer pays CHF 250).
• Berufs-/Praxisbildnerseminare (Trainer Seminars) One-day practical introduction seminars (08:30-16:30) for trainers in commercial basic training, covering evaluation of apprentices' workplace performance and QV grading. CHF 300 per seminar.
• Online-Kurse (Online Courses) Location-independent courses accessible via computer, laptop, notebook, tablet, or smartphone, allowing remote learning across SFK's tutoring and exam preparation offerings.
• Zimmervermietung (Training Room Rental) Rental of 10 training rooms with capacities of 12-22 persons each (sizes 24 m², 29 m², 47 m²), located at Heinrichstrasse 239 near Escher-Wyss-Platz and Zurich Hardbrücke station. Available to external organizations for seminars, training, and corporate events.
• QV-mündliche Simulation (Oral Examination Simulation) Individual 80-minute oral examination simulations with teachers who know the exact examination process, providing tips and feedback. CHF 192 per 80 minutes including feedback; available in-person or online.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of Junior Merchants graduates find their KV apprenticeship position

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IMPULSIS Berufsbildung+coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFK collaborates with IMPULSIS Berufsbildung+ for the Berufsbildung+ program, which supports youth aged 15-25 in finding apprenticeships and provides ongoing support during training. IMPULSIS handles the coaching component while SFK provides the educational courses.
• Soziale Einrichtungen und Betriebe der Stadt Zürich (JOB PLUS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFK partners with JOB PLUS, an initiative of the Social Institutions and Operations of the City of Zurich, to provide schooling for youth who are in a preparatory phase before their apprenticeship. SFK provides one day per week of schooling while youth work at internships.
• Sport Academy ZürichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFK provides the academic component of the Sport Academy's commercial preparatory year, allowing student-athletes to combine professional sports training with preparation for commercial apprenticeships.
• eduquaminorOthersSFK holds eduqua certification, a Swiss quality label for continuing education institutions, displayed on their website footer.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Klubschule Migros: Switzerland's largest adult education provider, offering courses across languages, business, and vocational training nationally. Operates as a private incumbent with broad portfolio versus SFK's narrow commercial-vocational focus.
• Kumon: Global franchise-based supplemental education network with math and reading programs. Comparable in small-group supplemental tutoring methodology but operates at much larger scale and broader K-12 focus.
• Sylvan Learning: Established US-based supplemental education franchise offering tutoring and test prep. Comparable small-group tutoring and individualized instruction model; broadband incumbent with global footprint.

Direct peers

• Bénédict-Schulen: Swiss private school network offering vocational, commercial, and professional education including KV programs. Direct competitor in commercial vocational education with multiple locations and broader program scope.
• WKS KV Bildung: Bern-based KV education provider focused on commercial vocational schooling and Berufsmaturität. Comparable in mission but regional (Bern) versus SFK's Zurich focus.
• Juventus Schulen: Swiss private education group with vocational and commercial programs across multiple cantons. Comparable in private vocational education model with wider geographic footprint.
• AKAD Business AG: Swiss private professional education provider offering vocational and commercial training including Berufsmaturität pathways. Comparable in commercial education plus broader higher-education offerings.
• Academia Education AG: Swiss test-preparation and adult education provider covering vocational exams, Matura, and language diplomas. Direct overlap in exam-preparation and tutoring for vocational certificates.

Regional players

• Eckert Schulen: German private vocational education network offering commercial, technical, and Berufsmaturität preparation. Comparable in vocational education model but operates in Germany rather than Switzerland.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 SFK Schule für Förderkurse