Guest Column: On-the-Job Training Inside and Outside of the Classroom 

The author of this guest column, Dr. Tischelle George, serves as NYCHA’s Vice President for Learning & Development. L&D strives to prepare NYCHA employees for the roles they are in and the roles they aspire to attain. L&D carries out this mission daily through delivery of classroom, online, and property-based trainings as well as by providing learning management, instructional design, and workforce development programs that are creating new pathways of entry into NYCHA and facilitating new ways for current NYCHA employees to leave a lasting legacy. In this column, Dr. George, who has served at NYCHA for nearly two decades in a variety of roles (and has the distinction of being the first woman in the agency to hold many of those roles), reflects on some of the formal and informal ways she has learned and developed throughout her career.   

I like to think of NYCHA as a literal university, and each department is like a new major. As an employee, I have enjoyed opportunities to dive deep into the subject matter that a department specializes in. I have also had opportunities to learn from colleagues in other departments. It is through these collaborations that I deepen my understanding of how the agency works. Just when I think I’ve mastered one subject, another comes up, and I am quickly intrigued by how much more there is to learn about NYCHA. For example, for many years I did resident-facing work (including writing for The NYCHA Journal and organizing financial empowerment programs and other civic engagement sessions for residents). But when I transitioned to a new role in 2022 in Operations Support Services, I began to focus on employee training for our Support Services colleagues (Elevator Mechanics, Exterminators, Heating Plant Technicians, etc.). I had not worked with these colleagues prior to 2022, and I never thought about how they train to become effective at their jobs. But then I was introduced to the Elevator Service and Repair Department (ESRD) Training Unit and the Long Island City (LIC) Elevator Training Center! Did you know that we have a state-of-the-art elevator training center at LIC that includes mock elevators and working elevator control panels, motors, etc.? And did you know that our ESRD colleagues go through several weeks of in-house training before they can safely maintain the thousands of elevators that transport our residents to and from their homes daily? In this experience, I learned through exposure. I just had to see that training center once to broaden my perspective on another vital aspect of property management – employee training.  

Another experience that contributed to my growth and preparation as a leader was participation in the NYC Management Academy. This is a competitive program facilitated by the NYC Department of Administrative Services (DCAS) comprised of mid-level managers from multiple City agencies. It was an honor to be chosen for the Management Academy, and I learned so much about teamwork, effective resource management, overcoming my fears as a new manager, and how to advocate for myself with my supervisor. It was a phenomenal experience, but I would’ve missed the opportunity if I had not been paying attention to those global emails that we get from time to time about opportunities. The application process required candidates to be nominated and endorsed by their agency head. Instead of waiting to get “noticed,” I found the courage to talk with my supervisor about it and sought her nomination. I had to assure my supervisor that my responsibilities would be covered during the program, because Academy members are away from the office one day per week for 12 weeks. Through this formal professional development program, I became a more effective manager, expanded my network of colleagues citywide, and gained the confidence to apply for successive roles and advance my career. 

Now, in my current role as VP of Learning & Development, I create similar learning opportunities for my colleagues at all levels in the agency. L&D has a host of instructor-led technical skills training courses for entry-level employees and for entry-level supervisors. We have a vast library of online trainings on NYCHA University that are self-paced and free! Many are short videos, like what you would find on YouTube but specifically curated for government employees. L&D also manages workforce development programs in partnership with other departments to create entry-level training and hiring opportunities for Elevator Mechanic Apprentices and Heating Plant Technician Trainees. For existing employees, we offer Lunch and Learn with L&D, a monthly virtual venue to spread awareness about key programs, projects, and policies to NYCHA employees. We also offer the Learning Leaders program, which trains select employees to become instructors. This is an opportunity for employees to further develop their public speaking and professional development skills while  they train fellow employees in the art of customer service and conflict de-escalation. To explore these opportunities, I recommend starting with NYCHA University (on.nyc.gov/nycha-university) or emailing L&D at myLearning.nycha@nycha.nyc.gov. 

Even though I am formally educated with degrees from New York colleges and universities, the most practical and applicable education I have obtained has been on the job through exposure to the depth of wisdom that comes from learning how to navigate NYCHA and city service opportunities. My future goals include developing my personal advisory board of mentors: individuals who can help me grow and expand my skills and knowledge. I’ve mentored many over the years and I’ve had mentors at different stages of my career. Now I’m ready to be mentored to help me advance to new levels of leadership and to better understand how best to serve younger generations of workers.