| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Private nonprofit career school; campus-based, with hybrid Medical Assistant and online Business Operations programs |
| Campuses | 3, all in Kentucky: Lexington (main), Winchester and Nicholasville |
| Credentials | Certificates |
| Program length | 450 to 1,500 clock hours (normal length 13 to 46 weeks) |
| Accreditation | Council on Occupational Education (COE), first granted in 2006; the school says reaffirmation is in progress |
| Federal aid | Yes (federal school code 038853), except for flight training |
| Price | $5,995 to $20,995 per program, effective 1 January 2025; flight training is priced separately |
| Students | 203 in 2024-25 (IPEDS) |
| Owner | Employment Solutions, Inc., a nonprofit founded in 1982 |
| Opened | February 1997, as the Center for Training and Employment |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
College for Technical Education: a nonprofit training school in central Kentucky
College for Technical Education (CTE) is a division of Employment Solutions, Inc., a nonprofit formed in 1982 that also runs Bluegrass Career Services and Employment Solutions Personnel. The school opened in February 1997 at the Woodhill Center as the Center for Training and Employment and moved in February 2001. It added a cosmetology extension in Winchester in 2012 and now also runs a second cosmetology campus in Nicholasville.
CTE is small: it had 203 students in 2024-25, all full-time, according to IPEDS figures published by univstats. It trains for a handful of jobs (building maintenance, medical assisting, cosmetology, esthetics and nail care) through certificates of 450 to 1,500 hours, and it charges one flat price per program. The trades and medical programs are taught in Lexington, and the beauty programs only in Winchester and Nicholasville.
Seven accredited certificate programs, and where each is taught
Every accredited program leads to a certificate; the catalog lists no diplomas or degrees. Hours, schedules and prices are from the school’s catalog revised 13 May 2026, which repeats the price list effective 1 January 2025.
| Program | Credential | Hours; normal length | Schedule | Where | Prepares for | Total price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Trades Technician | Certificate | 900 clock hours (46 credits); 36 weeks | Day (Mon–Thu) or evening (Mon–Fri) | Lexington | EPA 608; OSHA 10 | $15,995 |
| Medical Assistant | Certificate | 915 hours (47 credits); 39 weeks | Hybrid, with externship | Lexington | AMT Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) | $15,495 |
| Business Operations | Certificate | 600 hours (36 credits); 36 weeks | Online, with on-campus competency days | Online, from Lexington | – | $9,995 |
| Cosmetology | Certificate | 1,500 clock hours; 46 weeks | Weekdays 9:00–4:30 | Winchester, Nicholasville | Kentucky cosmetologist licence | $20,995 |
| Esthetician | Certificate | 750 clock hours; 22 weeks | Weekdays 9:00–4:30 | Winchester, Nicholasville | Kentucky esthetician licence | $10,995 |
| Nail Technician | Certificate | 450 clock hours; 13 weeks | Weekdays 9:00–4:30 | Winchester, Nicholasville | Kentucky nail technician licence | $5,995 |
| Cosmetology Apprentice Instructor | Certificate | 750 clock hours; 22 weeks | Weekdays 9:00–4:30 | Winchester, Nicholasville | Kentucky cosmetology instructor licence | $6,500 |
Building Trades students sit the EPA 608 exam within the program, and the program page also lists OSHA 10. Only Medical Assistant includes an externship; the cosmetology programs use clinic hours in the school’s own salons. The website also lists short Hair Extension and Lash Artistry certifications that are not in the catalog’s price table.
CTE also sells a Professional Aviation Certificate: flight training under the FAA’s Part 61 rules, run with a contracted flight school. It is not covered by the school’s COE accreditation and is not eligible for federal student aid; see the sections on cost and accreditation below.
What the main programs cover
Building Trades Technician
The program has six modules of 7 or 8 credits each. It starts with workplace safety, blueprint reading and construction math, then moves through carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, HVAC and facilities maintenance. Hands-on tasks include framing, maintenance wiring, leak repair, duct board and brazed line sets. Day classes run Monday to Thursday from 8:30 to 3:15 and evening classes Monday to Friday from 5 to 10 pm, both 25 hours a week. Students must be able to climb, crawl into confined spaces, lift 45 pounds or more and stand on concrete for six hours a day.
Medical Assistant
Coursework covers medical terminology, anatomy and physiology for coding, basic office procedures, insurance billing and coding, medical office administration, and medical law and ethics, followed by four clinical procedures courses. Theory is taught by distance education, while clinical skills and competency checks happen on campus in Lexington, at about 25 hours a week. The program ends with a 3-credit externship at a working practice under a supervising professional; the catalog says externship hours vary by site and does not say who arranges the placement. Applicants need a background check.
Cosmetology
The 1,500 clock hours, the minimum Kentucky’s board requires, include modules in haircutting, hairstyling, chemical texture, hair coloring, infection control, salon business and 50 hours of state board law. Of the total, 861 hours are spent on the clinic floor of the student salons at Winchester and Nicholasville, which are open to the public. Classes run Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 4:30, about 35 hours a week, with optional Saturday salon hours. Applicants need a high school diploma or GED (the signed affidavit accepted for other programs is not accepted here) and a valid Social Security number for licensure.
Esthetician, Nail Technician and Apprentice Instructor
Esthetician (750 hours) and Nail Technician (450 hours) run on the same weekday schedule as cosmetology, from 9:00 to 4:30, with Saturday hours in the salon, and both prepare students for Kentucky Board of Cosmetology licence exams. Both require a Social Security number and a signed background affidavit. The Cosmetology Apprentice Instructor program is for licensed cosmetologists only: applicants must have held an active Kentucky cosmetology licence for two years. Its 750 hours include 200 hours as a teacher assistant and 250 hours of pupil teaching, and it leads to Kentucky’s instructor licence.
Business Operations
This 600-hour certificate is an office-operations program, not a business degree. It has nine 4-credit courses, including Microsoft Office; the program page lists business communications, financial basics, administrative duties, an introduction to human resources, social media and marketing, and selling among its topics. Courses are delivered online, at roughly 15 to 17.5 hours a week over a normal 36 weeks, but students must attend on-campus competency days in Lexington, so it suits people who live within reach of the main campus. The program names no certification exam.
Professional Aviation Certificate (flight training)
The flight program takes students through the private pilot, instrument and commercial pilot ratings, with optional flight instructor (CFI and CFII) ratings, one rating per semester. Ground classes meet at the Lexington campus, and the flying is done under FAA Part 61 through a contracted partner, which the program’s FAQ names as Wings Flight Enterprises. The school says it is working on Part 141 approval. Its page gives timelines of about 6 to 8 months full-time or 12 to 20 months part-time, though its FAQ also mentions 21 months. The program sits outside CTE’s COE accreditation.
Cost: one flat price per program
CTE charges a single total price for each program, with no in-state or out-of-state rates. The figures below are from the school’s tuition and fees sheet effective 1 January 2025, and the May 2026 catalog prints the same figures. Fees are non-refundable; they include a $100 graduation fee, and retaking a module costs $100.
| Program (effective 1 January 2025) | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nail Technician | $4,995 | $1,000 | $5,995 |
| Cosmetology Apprentice Instructor | $6,000 | $500 | $6,500 |
| Business Operations | $8,500 | $1,495 | $9,995 |
| Esthetician | $8,490 | $2,505 | $10,995 |
| Medical Assistant | $12,500 | $2,995 | $15,495 |
| Building Trades Technician | $13,400 | $2,595 | $15,995 |
| Cosmetology | $18,795 | $2,200 | $20,995 |
The flight-training program is priced by rating (as listed on its page, checked October 2026): $69,058.10 for the private, instrument and commercial ratings, or $84,000 with the optional instructor ratings. A $5,000 deposit is due for each course, and FAA exam fees of about $1,000 per rating are extra. Federal student aid does not cover the program, and GI Bill benefits cannot be used for its Part 61 flight fees.
The other programs are eligible for federal student aid under school code 038853: Pell Grants and Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and PLUS loans. Kentucky’s KHEAA, in its Getting In guide for the class of 2027, says 77% of CTE students receive financial aid. The school’s net price calculator gives an estimate after grants.
Admission: open enrollment with program checks
Admission is open to applicants aged 17½ or older with a high school diploma, a GED or a signed affidavit; Cosmetology does not accept the affidavit. Cosmetology, Esthetician and Nail Technician applicants need a valid Social Security number, because Kentucky licensure requires one, and sign a background affidavit. Medical program applicants need a background check, and everyone attends an orientation before the first day. The school’s website lists frequent start dates. Building Trades has day and evening classes, Medical Assistant is hybrid with evening classes in Lexington, Business Operations is online, and the beauty programs run on weekdays only.
Accreditation, licensing and results
CTE is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education, which lists it as an accredited member (institution 300300, next team visit 2028); full accreditation was first granted in 2006. The school’s home page says the Lexington campus is applying for reaffirmation of its accreditation and invites public comment to COE. COE’s commission actions for June to October 2026 list no action concerning the school. Flight training is not part of the accreditation.
The school is licensed by the Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education. The Winchester and Nicholasville campuses are each licensed by the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology for cosmetology, esthetics, nail technology and instructor training; there is no cosmetology licence for Lexington. The school claims no programmatic accreditation (CAAHEP or ABHES) for the Medical Assistant program.
The newest program results we could check are old. For FY2019-20, the school’s statistics report gives placement rates of 60% for Building Trades, 72.73% for Medical Assistant and 100% for Winchester cosmetology graduates, under COE’s definition. The school publishes no pass rates for the AMT RMA or EPA 608 exams, and we could not confirm state licence-exam pass rates for the beauty programs.
Before you enroll
- The beauty programs are not taught in Lexington. Cosmetology, Esthetician, Nail Technician and Apprentice Instructor run only at Winchester and Nicholasville, on weekdays from 9:00 to 4:30, with no evening option.
- Fees of $500 to $2,995 per program (effective 1 January 2025) are non-refundable, so ask for the refund policy for tuition in writing before you sign.
- The flight-training certificate costs $69,058.10, or $84,000 with the instructor ratings (October 2026 listing). Its flying is done through a contracted flight school, and it is outside CTE’s accreditation and cannot be paid for with federal aid.
- The school claims no CAAHEP or ABHES accreditation for the Medical Assistant program; it prepares graduates for the AMT RMA exam. Check that local employers accept that credential.
- Published outcomes are dated: the newest placement rates are for 2019-20, and the school says it is applying for reaffirmation of its COE accreditation; COE lists it as accredited, with the next team visit in 2028.
Three campuses around Lexington
| Campus | Address | Programs taught there |
|---|---|---|
| Lexington (main) | 1165 Centre Pkwy. #120, Lexington, KY 40517 | Building Trades Technician, Medical Assistant, Business Operations competency days, flight-training ground classes; childcare |
| Winchester | 2135 Bypass Rd., Winchester, KY 40391 | Cosmetology, Esthetician, Nail Technician, Cosmetology Apprentice Instructor; public student salon |
| Nicholasville | 973 S. Main Street, Nicholasville, KY 40356 | Cosmetology, Esthetician, Nail Technician, Cosmetology Apprentice Instructor; public student salon |
Bluegrass Career Services and Employment Solutions Personnel are sister operations of the parent nonprofit, not campuses. Flying lessons take place with the contracted flight school, not at a CTE campus.
Job-search help, childcare and student salons
CTE says every graduate gets lifetime job-search help through Bluegrass Career Services, including résumés, mock interviews and referrals to employers; the school does not guarantee a job. Childcare is available at the Lexington campus. The student salons in Winchester and Nicholasville are open to the public Monday to Friday from 10:30 to 3:30. The school has no student housing.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Healthcare
- Medical Assistant (certificate, 915 hours, hybrid)
Cosmetology (Winchester and Nicholasville)
- Cosmetology (certificate, 1,500 clock hours)
- Esthetician (certificate, 750 clock hours)
- Nail Technician (certificate, 450 clock hours)
- Cosmetology Apprentice Instructor (certificate, 750 clock hours; Kentucky cosmetology licence required)
Skilled Trades
- Building Trades Technician (certificate, 900 clock hours; day or evening)
Business
- Business Operations (certificate, 600 hours, online with on-campus competency days)
Campus Locations
Lexington, KY 1165 Centre Pkwy. #120, Lexington, KY 40517
Lexington (Winchester), KY 2135 Bypass Rd., Winchester, KY 40391
Lexington (Nicholasville), KY 973 S. Main Street, Nicholasville, KY 40356