Buffalo will soon be home to a state of the art Cosmetology Training Center located at 2629 Delaware Avenue. The news of the center is great for a number of reasons, but a couple that immediately come to mind are retention and proximity. Over the years I’ve covered a handful of salons and barber shops opening in the city, and every time I asked an owner where he or she got their start they always mentioned another city. They told me that Buffalo was seriously lacking in this type of training, which meant that not only were future barbers and hair stylists leaving for training, many of them were never returning. Considering that this is one business where there is always a need for certified technicians, this is a solid step in the right direction for anyone locally looking to get into the business. The center will also ultimately draw people from other areas, just as other areas have been drawing potential students from Buffalo.
A recent groundbreaking ceremony marked the Buffalo Public Schools Adult Education Division’s new Cosmetology Training Center, and construction is slated to finish by the end of June. Once open, the cosmetology students will be required to to take 1000 hours of coursework – tuition is $6500. Along with tuition, there is a standard of preregistration requirements that must be met, which includes proficiency in reading, writing and math skills. Cosmetology classes should be underway July 9. Once the cosmetology department is in full swing, the center will begin to focus on the barbering classes.
Information sessions on the application process are being held in May. More information is available at www.Upskill.org or by calling (716) 888-7088 ext. 111.