Android 5.0 introduced Android for Work managed profiles.
Released as Lollipop in 2014, Android 5.0 added the profile-owner and device-owner management APIs that let administrators separate business data from a user’s personal apps and files. A work profile created a managed space on the same phone, allowing employees to use one device while keeping corporate information under organizational control.
The design built on Android’s existing sandboxing, encryption, multi-user support, and stronger SELinux security. Work apps could be managed or wiped without necessarily erasing the user’s personal profile, a major improvement for bring-your-own-device programs.
The common confusion comes from later Android Enterprise changes. Android 5.1 added or refined some provisioning paths, and Android 8.0 expanded work profiles to additional fully managed-device scenarios. Google later evolved the branding from Android for Work into Android Enterprise, but the foundational managed-profile framework belongs to Android 5.0 Lollipop.