Erie 1 BOCES Workforce Development - Ken-Ton Center

Erie 1 BOCES Workforce Development is the adult career-training division of Erie 1 BOCES, the Board of Cooperative Educational Services established in December 1957 that serves 19 component school districts across Western New York. Adult programs now operate primarily from its Cheektowaga campuses — a North Campus and South Campus plus a dedicated School of Cosmetology — while the Kenton Career & Technical Center in Tonawanda is one of four CTE centers chiefly serving high school students. Accredited by the Council on Occupational Education since 2011, the division reports an exceptional 96% federal graduation rate, and its flagship practical nursing program (1,100 hours over one year, $16,500 for the 2026-27 cohort; the federally reported 2024-25 figure was $15,000) posted a 94.9% first-time NCLEX-PN pass rate in 2025. Other programs include a 1,000-hour, 9-month cosmetology program ($14,500 including books and supplies), a 300-hour HVAC program with the EPA 608 exam ($6,200), 324-hour welding training with OSHA 10 ($5,500), and electrical courses from 36 to 200 hours. As of December 2025, entrance exams are no longer required except for practical nursing, which uses the TEAS; free ESL and GED classes round out the offerings, and tuition assistance is available through ACCES-VR and Veterans Affairs.