What werkse does

Werkse! is a Dutch social enterprise (werkleerbedrijf) founded in 1929 and headquartered in Den Hoorn near Delft, Netherlands. It operates a portfolio of seven vocational schools — Vakscholen Catering, Schoonmaak, Toezicht & Beveiliging, Zorghub (healthcare), Techniek, Logistiek, and Groen & omgeving — each delivering recognized certificates (HACCP, MBO Beveiliger, forklift/reachtruck, etc.) using the Werkstap methodology aligned to the MKB Nederland 'Goed Werknemerschap' quality mark. Participants earn salary while training, with the explicit objective of transitioning into mainstream jobs at external employers.

The organization serves two complementary sides of the Dutch labor market. On the supply side, it supports residents of Delft and surrounding municipalities (Lansingerland, Pijnacker-Nootdorp, Rijswijk, Den Haag, Midden-Delfland, Het Westland) who face barriers to employment — including people with disabilities, autism, speech disorders, long-term welfare recipients, and refugees or asylum seekers on the Inburgeren Z-route or B1-route. On the demand side, it supplies employers with staffing, business process outsourcing (assembly, cable-harness production, document digitization, post & print, logistics, catering, cleaning, security, green maintenance), and helps them fulfill SROI (Social Return on Investment) and Banenafspraak obligations.

Revenue is generated through a mix of municipal government funding (primarily the Gemeente Delft and COA contracts such as 'Meedoen in Delft'), paid BPO service contracts with employers, and SROI-driven outsourcing arrangements. Pricing is quote-based with multi-year contract cadences; revenue is not publicly disclosed. Named enterprise/government customers include Gemeente Delft, TU Delft (CREFM, HR, Library), HANOS Den Haag-Delft, Pieter van Foreest, Veiligheidsregio Haaglanden, HedoN, and VFA Solutions. The organization is privately held with no disclosed parent, subsidiaries, or funding rounds, and was led by a newly appointed director, Daphne Braal, as of February 2025.

Name

werkse

Legal name

Werkse!

Website

https://werkse.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Werkse! is a Dutch social enterprise operating seven vocational schools and paired business-process outsourcing services in the Delft region, training and placing residents with barriers to employment while supplying local employers with staffing and SROI fulfillment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Employment & Workforce Reintegration Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Help Supply Services (7363)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Incumbent Worker Training & Upskilling (EDAAAOAE), Special Education Staffing & Contracted Providers (Paras, Therapists, Specialists) (EDAJAKAL)

Keywords

• Vocational training services
• Social employment services
• Workforce reintegration
• Outsourced facility services
• Document digitization services

Headquarters

HQ city

Den Hoorn

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Municipal Government Funding: Primary funding comes from the municipality of Delft for helping inhabitants with employment support, training, and job placement services.
2. Business Process Outsourcing: Companies outsource various services including cleaning, assembly, security, catering, logistics, and digitization. This generates revenue while providing work opportunities for people with distance to the labor market.
3. SROI (Social Return on Investment) Services: Companies fulfill their social responsibility obligations by outsourcing work to Werkse!, contributing to an inclusive labor market.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Werkse! is a social enterprise that helps residents of Delft develop and find work through seven vocational schools (vakscholen) and corresponding outsourced services. Participants earn salaries while training in trades such as catering, cleaning, security, healthcare (Zorghub), logistics, green & environment, and technical work, while employers can outsource services or hire coached candidates to fulfill social return (SROI) obligations.

Product overview

Werkse! is a social work integration organization operating a portfolio of 7 vocational schools (Vakscholen) that provide on-the-job training programs for people with barriers to employment. The vocational schools cover Catering, Cleaning (Schoonmaak), Security & Surveillance (Toezicht & beveiliging), Healthcare (Zorghub), Technology (Techniek), Logistics (Logistiek), and Green & Environment (Groen & omgeving). Each vocational school is paired with corresponding service offerings (outsourcing services) that allow participants to gain practical work experience while delivering professional services to external clients. These services include Assembly, Digitization, Mail & Print, Logistics, Catering, Healthcare support, Cleaning & Laundry, Security, and Green maintenance. The organization also provides integration programs (Inburgering) for newcomers and general development training (Ontwikkelpunt) including stress management, personal strength discovery, language lessons, and career interest assessments. The Vakscholen use the Werkstap methodology aligned with the MKB Nederland 'Goed Werknemerschap' (Good Employee) quality mark, enabling participants to earn recognized certificates and practical diplomas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vakschool Catering Vocational school training participants in food preparation, hospitality, and catering skills, including barista training and HACCP certification. Aimed at job seekers with distance to the labor market, with practical diploma options.
• Vakschool Schoonmaak Vocational school training participants in cleaning techniques, hygiene standards, and facility maintenance, with practical diploma options. Targets job seekers seeking entry into the professional cleaning sector.
• Vakschool Toezicht en beveiliging Vocational school training participants in security, surveillance, access control, and emergency response, with the MBO Beveiliger diploma as a recognized qualification.
• Vakschool Zorghub Vocational school training participants for healthcare support roles including ADL assistance, meal preparation, and household support, in partnership with Zorghub.
• Vakschool Techniek Vocational school training participants in technical skills including equipment operation, soldering, blueprint reading, and quality control.
• Vakschool Logistiek Vocational school training participants in logistics operations including goods receiving, picking, shipping, and forklift/reachtruck certification.
• Vakschool Groen & omgeving Vocational school training participants in horticulture and outdoor maintenance, including pruning, mowing, and chainsaw operation, with various recognized certifications.
• Assemblage (Assembly services) Outsourced assembly services for external clients, including precision work, cable harness production, and 3D printing, with documented quality control processes. Customers include HedoN and VFA Solutions.
• Digitaliseren (Document Digitization) Document digitization services including archiving, scanning (A0+ to A4, A3, large format, A2 flatbed, books), and metadata indexing, offered to external clients to help meet SROI obligations. Customer: TU Delft CREFM (182 archive boxes, 6,200+ documents).
• Post & Print Mail and print services for businesses, including repro services, mail merge, courier services, and postroom management.
• Logistiek (Logistics services) Logistics and distribution services for external clients, including goods receiving, storage, order picking, and inventory management.
• Catering services Catering services for businesses including meal preparation, barista offerings, HACCP-compliant food handling, and event catering. Customer: HANOS Den Haag-Delft.
• Zorg (Healthcare support services) Healthcare support services including ADL assistance, meal support, and cleaning for care facilities, delivered through Zorghub vocational training.
• Schoonmaak & wasserette (Cleaning & laundry) Professional cleaning services for offices, parking garages, and industrial spaces, including floor maintenance and specialized cleaning.
• Toezicht & beveiliging (Security services) Security and surveillance services including reception, building access control, camera monitoring, and emergency response. Customer: Veiligheidsregio Haaglanden.
• Groen & omgeving (Green & outdoor maintenance) Green space and outdoor maintenance services including landscaping, pruning, mowing, and grounds maintenance for businesses and public areas. Over 100 people work in this service line maintaining Delft city center.
• Inburgeren met de Z-route (Z-route integration program) Self-sufficiency integration program for newcomers, with 800 hours of Dutch language lessons and 800 participation hours over three years, in cooperation with Taalschool Rijswijk.
• Inburgeren met de B1-route (B1-route integration program) B1-level integration program with Dutch language lessons at Taalschool Sagenn in Den Haag and civic orientation, completed over a maximum of three years.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 people work in green services alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 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.

• TU Delft (CREFM, HR, Library)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWerkse! provides document scanning and digitization services for TU Delft's technical information management. A team of 8 people has scanned over 182 archive boxes with 6,200+ documents. TU Delft participates in the Banenafspraak with 72 jobs filled and targets 234 jobs by 2025.
• HANOS Den Haag-DelftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHANOS collaborates with Werkse! for staffing, with about 10% of their 380 employees having support needs fulfilled through Werkse! partnership. Workers can start as trainees and transition to permanent contracts.
• ZorghubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for healthcare worker training and placement. Zorghub provides education and job placement in healthcare while Werkse! provides initial coaching and support for candidates.
• ROC MondriaancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Dutch language lessons. Werkse! refers clients to ROC Mondriaan's Taalplus program for language training at Brasserkade 1 in Delft.
• WerkwaardigcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNetwork of inclusive employers in the region that collaborate to provide work opportunities for people with support needs. HANOS and other companies participate through this network.
• COA (Centraal Orgaan opvang Asielzoekers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for the 'Meedoen in Delft' project helping asylum seekers find work. The municipality of Delft and Werkse! work together with COA to assess up to 250 people and place 50 in paid employment.
• CordaidminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHussein Alzribi did an internship at Cordaid which helped rebuild his confidence. This was facilitated through Werkse!'s support network.
• Taalschool RijswijkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Dutch language lessons (800 hours) for participants on the Z-route (self-reliance route) for integration.
• Taalschool SagenncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Dutch language lessons for participants on the B1-route integration program in Den Haag.
• Veiligheidsregio Haaglanden (VRH)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVRH hires staff through Werkse! for their breathing apparatus workshop and laundry services. Mohammad Mirzai was placed and now has a permanent contract.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Randstad Nederland: Largest Dutch staffing and HR services firm. Competes for the same employer staffing wallet but operates at vastly larger scale and without Werkse!'s social enterprise mission or SROI specialization.
• Tempo-Team: Major Dutch staffing firm (part of Randstad) providing broad workforce solutions across all sectors. Comparable as employer-side staffing partner but operates commercially rather than as a social enterprise.

Direct peers

• Pantar: Amsterdam-based Dutch social enterprise (sociaal werkbedrijf) operating vocational training, employment placement, and BPO services for people with distance to the labor market. Most direct comparable in structure, mission, and service mix to Werkse!.
• Diamant Groep: Leeuwarden-based werkleerbedrijf providing vocational training, sheltered employment, and outsourcing services across multiple sectors. Comparable Dutch social enterprise with similar municipality-anchored model.
• Orion Walcheren: Walcheren-region Dutch social enterprise offering vocational training and employment services for people with barriers to work. Directly comparable in geographic anchoring and werkleerbedrijf structure.
• Risse Groep: Helmond-based Dutch social enterprise providing training, coaching, and outsourced services to employers while supporting workforce participation. Comparable werkleerbedrijf structure.
• Presikhaaf Bedrijven: Arnhem-based Dutch werkleerbedrijf offering vocational pathways and employment services for people with distance to the labor market, with municipality-aligned funding model.
• WSD (Werkvoorzieningschap Drenthe): Drenthe-based Dutch social employment organization providing vocational training, sheltered work, and BPO services to municipalities and employers. Comparable in scope and Dutch werkleerbedrijf model.
• Swinhove Groep: Dordrecht-region Dutch social enterprise with vocational training and workforce integration programs for people with employment barriers. Comparable mission and operating structure.

Others

• UWV (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen): Dutch national employee insurance agency that administers WW, WIA, and Wajong benefits and oversees Banenafspraak quotas. Adjacent ecosystem participant that funds and regulates Werkse!'s target population rather than competing directly.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 werkse