Berufsfortbildungswerk

bfw – Unternehmen für Bildung (Berufsfortbildungswerk) is a non-profit provider of continuing vocational training in Germany, headquartered in Erkrath, North Rhine-Westphalia. It was founded in 1953 by the Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB), the German Trade Union Confederation, which remains its owner. The group describes itself as an accredited non-profit provider of vocational further education and operates roughly 200 education and training facilities across Germany, employing around 1,800 full-time staff. In its 2016 financial year it reported revenue of 120 million euros, and it qualifies around 45,000 participants annually. The bfw group covers the entire education chain: further and continuing training, recruitment and qualification, individual career planning, and human resources development. Its services are largely financed through the German Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit), job centres and options municipalities, and it also runs courses on behalf of other funding bodies such as the judiciary and the Bundeswehr. In addition, the group offers qualifications directly to companies and private customers. The parent company, Berufsfortbildungswerk Gemeinnützige Bildungseinrichtung des DGB GmbH (bfw), is based in Düsseldorf and, together with its subsidiaries, trades as bfw – Unternehmen für Bildung. The group is certified under DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 and the Accreditation and Licensing Ordinance on Employment Promotion (AZAV). It is a founding member of the Bundesverband der Träger beruflicher Bildung e.V. (BBB) and holds a seat on its board. Key subsidiaries and brands include inab – Jugend, Bildung und Beruf, which has provided training and labour-market qualifications for young people for more than 20 years; weitblick – personalpartner GmbH, founded in 2004 to serve human resources development and support companies during workforce reductions; and maxQ. im bfw, a brand offering education and training for the healthcare sector, particularly in educational, social and nursing professions. The group also offers preparation courses for the external examination (Externenprüfung) so that experienced workers without a formal vocational qualification can obtain a recognised occupational qualification.

The Berufsfortbildungswerk emerged from local vocational training institutions built by the Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB) in the early 1950s. On 18 July 1953, the DGB's Bundesausschuss, the highest body between DGB congresses, unanimously resolved to merge the existing Berufsfortbildungswerke into a single limited liability company. The articles of association were signed on 4 December 1953, founding the Berufsfortbildungswerk des Deutschen Gewerkschaftsbundes. Since then the bfw group has worked to fulfil the trade union demand that "everyone must have the opportunity to further their vocational education according to their aptitude and inclinations" (DGB basic programme). The new company consolidated existing institutions in Augsburg, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Iserlohn, Mannheim, Munich, Münster, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and Wuppertal. In its first year it already offered 924 courses, focusing on commercial subjects such as typewriting and stenography as well as general subjects such as German and foreign languages, and it also covered technical fields. In subsequent years numerous new Berufsfortbildungswerke were established at various locations in the Federal Republic. To adapt course offerings to regional and local conditions, individual bfw institutions decided on their programmes relatively independently. With German reunification and the special conditions in the former East Germany, the Berufsfortbildungswerk founded a subsidiary based in Berlin on 12 September 1990: Berufsfortbildungswerk GmbH (bfw). On 21 October 1991, it took over the Berlin-based inab GmbH – Gesellschaft für Arbeit und Bildung and renamed it inab – Ausbildungs- und Beschäftigungsgesellschaft, diversifying the group's offering to include transition from school to work, vocational orientation, initial training and employment for young people and young adults. On 1 January 2004, the subsidiary weitblick – personalpartner GmbH was founded to meet the specific requirements of the human resources development business field. Today the group qualifies around 45,000 participants annually in roughly 200 education and training facilities across Germany. The parent company, Berufsfortbildungswerk Gemeinnützige Bildungseinrichtung des DGB GmbH (bfw), is based in Düsseldorf and, together with its subsidiaries, trades as bfw – Unternehmen für Bildung. The group is certified under DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 and AZAV, and is a founding member of the Bundesverband der Träger beruflicher Bildung e.V. (BBB), where it holds a board seat.

• 2016

  The group reports revenue of 120 million euros for the 2016 financial year.

• 2004

  On 1 January, weitblick – personalpartner GmbH is founded to serve the human resources development business field.

• 1991

  On 21 October, the Berlin-based inab GmbH – Gesellschaft für Arbeit und Bildung is taken over and renamed inab – Ausbildungs- und Beschäftigungsgesellschaft, diversifying the group's offering.

• 1990

  On 12 September, a subsidiary based in Berlin is founded: Berufsfortbildungswerk GmbH (bfw), responding to German reunification.

• 1953

  On 18 July, the DGB Bundesausschuss unanimously resolves to merge existing Berufsfortbildungswerke into a single GmbH; articles signed on 4 December founding the Berufsfortbildungswerk des Deutschen Gewerkschaftsbundes.

• 1953

  In its first year the bfw offers 924 courses, focusing on commercial and general subjects as well as technical fields.

Non-profit, DGB-affiliated provider of the full vocational education chain, funded mainly by public employment bodies and also serving companies and private individuals.

• Preparation courses for the external examination (Externenprüfung)

  Courses that help experienced professionals without a formal vocational qualification obtain a recognised occupational qualification, offered to companies and private individuals.

• inab – Jugend, Bildung und Beruf

  Subsidiary offering training, further education and labour-market qualifications for young people, including transition from school to work, vocational orientation, initial training and employment.

• weitblick – personalpartner GmbH

  Subsidiary supporting companies during workforce reductions and offering human resources development and consulting services.

• maxQ. im bfw

  Brand offering education, further education and training for the healthcare sector, particularly in educational, social and nursing professions.

1. 1bfw – Unternehmen für Bildung (official website)bfw.de
2. 2Berufsfortbildungswerk – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Berufsfortbildungswerk – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org