In June, 29 local adults completed the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program.
All of them are now working in nursing.
“Everyone who graduated has jobs already,” Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program Coordinator Marcia Thomas-Bruce said. “Healthcare facilities locally and beyond are in great need of licensed practical nurses to the point that we can confidently say we have a 100% job placement rate for graduates.”
With the continued demand for LPNs, there is also a demand for spots in the Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program. There are 86 local adults in the program this school year. Some will graduate in June 2026, and others will in June 2027.
Due to so much interest in the program, Herkimer BOCES has moved up its recruiting process for the program to ensure interested students can complete the application process, go through entrance exams, apply for financial aid and get everything lined up sooner for joining the program.
Whereas deadlines to apply used to extend into the summer, the deadline is now moved back to May. And instead of having the program’s Open House in the spring, it will now take place in November.
“We’re trying to give students the opportunity to apply sooner and make their plans ahead of time for next school year,” Thomas-Bruce said. “With so many local adults interested in joining the program, this also helps ensure that we are accepting the students who are most serious about taking our classes and working in nursing.”
The Open House is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at the program’s home in the Herkimer BOCES Gateway Center on the second floor of the Arc Herkimer building at 420 E. German St. in Herkimer.
During the Open House, local adults interested in the program will be able to visit classrooms and labs in action, receive a tour of the facilities, learn about financial aid opportunities, hear about job opportunities from the program and meet faculty, current students and graduates.
There are three different options for the program: a 12-month full-time class, a 20-month part-time day class and a 20-month part-time evening class.
Classes for the next full-time program begin in July 2026, with graduation in June 2027. Classes for the part-time day and part-time evening programs begin in September 2026, with graduation in June 2028.
The deadline to apply and complete entrance testing for the next classes is Friday, May 8, 2026.
Those interested in joining the program should contact Stacie Shedd at 315-867-2209 or sshedd@herkimer-boces.org to get their entrance exam scheduled.
Another way to get started with the application process is to complete a short interest form at www.herkimer-boces.org/forms/lpn.
Find more information about the program at www.herkimer-boces.org/lpn.
The Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program Class of 2025 participates in a candle-lighting ceremony during the program’s 61st Commencement and Pledge Ceremony on Wednesday, June 25, at Herkimer Middle-High School. Herkimer BOCES is now recruiting students for classes starting in 2026.