Women Shaping a Sustainable Future at NYCHA
Every March, we honor the achievements of women throughout history and recognize the ongoing contributions they make today, inspiring future generations of women. From front-line to executive staff, NYCHA women employees are an integral part of the Authority’s progress.
This year’s theme, “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future,” expands our understanding of sustainability beyond just environmental concerns. It encompasses financial sustainability, community resilience, leadership succession, and intergenerational equity. Whether expanding affordable housing opportunities, developing green technologies, advancing economic justice, strengthening education systems, or building civic power, women are designing blueprints for sustainable transformation.
Coinciding with Women’s History Month is Women in Construction Week, which ran from March 1-7 to highlight, honor, and raise awareness of women’s growing role in a traditionally male-dominated industry. NYCHANow spoke with Audrey Walker, who shared her journey to leadership as Deputy Director of Capital Programs in the Asset and Capital Management (A&CM) division, as well as Josephine Melendez, Assistant Director of Adult Education and Training in the Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability (REES), who highlighted programs that provide pathways to careers such as Ms. Walker’s. Both women have served in their NYCHA roles for the past 10 years.
How did you begin working in the construction industry and how have you enjoyed this field as a career?
Ms. Walker: After leaving college, my first job was in construction and I stayed with it. My whole entire career has been in construction. What really appeals to me is at the end of the day when you’ve made somebody’s life much better. Just to see the end product and that you’re improving somebody’s life and making somebody’s environment much more livable and pleasurable – I think that’s what drives me and why I’m still in this profession.
For those interested in pursuing a construction career like Ms. Walker’s, what are some REES-facilitated programs that can provide support?
Ms. Melendez: The NYCHA Resident Training Academy (NRTA) and other related initiatives within REES connect NYCHA residents to opportunities such as construction training. The NRTA construction track provides required certifications and skills training that is applicable to the current practices in the industry. Upon training completion, graduates can pursue pathways of their choice, such as union apprenticeships or contract work.
REES’ model is to support residents to increase their income and assets through partnerships that provide workshops, trainings, and comprehensive services. REES is available to provide assistance to residents with training and upskilling opportunities, business development, homeownership workshops, financial literacy, and asset building such as tax prep and credit building.
Can you talk about how NYCHA provides opportunities for people to succeed in construction and other careers?
Ms. Walker: At A&CM there’s definitely a pathway for advancement in a construction career, because you can come here as an intern and work your way up to Assistant Project Manager, to a Project Manager, then a Deputy Director and a Director/Senior Director.
Ms. Melendez: The opportunities that REES partners on and promotes are intended to connect residents to training and transition to the workforce. It’s about creating an on-ramp so that residents can build on their professional goals. Over the years, there have been residents applying to the NRTA for entry-level trainings who are now in supervisory roles at NYCHA or have become journeypersons at construction unions.
How do you think the various REES-facilitated training programs have empowered women?
Ms. Melendez: Based on feedback obtained at REES, NYCHA residents are seeking opportunities in which they can soar economically. On average, over 50 percent of applicants to the NRTA training tracks are women. We foresee this continuing as REES continues to promote citywide and magnify these opportunities.
What is some advice you would offer to women wanting to enter the construction field as a career?
Ms. Walker: I think you should just do it because the construction career is for everybody and there is no limit to what you can do. We really need to see more women in construction and more women in leadership roles in construction. There shouldn’t be any barriers to women entering this field. There’s a lot of women in leadership here at NYCHA, and women can succeed in any role that they want to play.
