First Cohort of NYCHA Clean Energy Academy Graduates  

The 24 residents who were the first to graduate from NYCHA’s Clean Energy Academy this August are now prepared for careers in the rapidly growing clean energy sector.  

The NYCHA Clean Energy Academy (NCEA) provides residents with a 16-week, 280-hour training program where they gain construction skills training; hands-on learning; workforce preparation; visits to NYCHA Weatherization Assistance Program project sites; and specialized training on clean energy, including building electrification, clean energy technologies, and energy efficiency. Graduates received several industry certifications, including 30-hour OSHA Safety Training, 10-hour Site Safety Training (Fall Prevention and Drug and Alcohol Awareness), Flagger and Scaffold Certification, Asbestos and Confined Space Awareness, and more.  

NYCHA CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt congratulated the graduates on their hard work: “You should all feel incredibly proud of what you have accomplished. You’ve received hands-on instructions and learned about energy efficiency and building decarbonization. These skills will serve as the bedrock for your future clean energy careers. This academy is a result of a years-long planning effort that arose out of NYCHA’s 2021 Sustainability Agenda, which created a road map for building healthier, safer, and more comfortable homes for our residents. You’re going to make an impact on the lives of New Yorkers, and you’re going to make an impact on the lives of NYCHA residents – for that I’m incredibly grateful.” 

The graduation was emceed by Josephine Melendez, Assistant Director of Adult Education and Training for NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability (REES), and Egan Waggoner, a consultant with NYCHA’s Asset & Capital Management’s Office of Sustainability Programs – both NYCHA teams helped oversee the program. 

The NCEA is a nearly $2 million partnership between NYCHA and the Public Housing Community Fund, in collaboration with LaGuardia Community College. It is funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), National Grid, Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies, New York Power Authority (NYPA), NorthLight Foundation, and Rise Light and Power. 

Graduates were presented certificates by their instructor Frank J. Calderone Sr. and Sarah Blas, NYCHA Clean Energy Academy Outreach Specialist. In addition to NYCHA CEO Bova-Hiatt, other speakers included Daniel Sherrod, Director, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development; Alex Zablocki, Executive Director of the Public Housing Community Fund; and representatives from National Grid, NYPA, Rise Light and Power, and LaGuardia Community College. 

During his speech, Mr. Zablocki congratulated the graduates and thanked the funders before presenting the well-known “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” photograph. “I wanted to show you this photo because when you look at these buildings, we need to remember the people, the skilled workers, that built them,” he noted. “If you go down the to the World Trade Center, it was people that rebuilt that space, and it’s going to be people that rebuild NYCHA. As NYCHA takes itself to new heights, decarbonizes and greens its campuses, you all are going to lead the way. You’ve lit a spark on something that will be potentially replicated across the state and elsewhere, and other cohorts will follow you.” 

The NCEA plans to train a total of 100 NYCHA residents in four cohorts over two years. 

The graduating cohort recently participated in a meet-and-greet with NYCHA contractors to explore career opportunities. Twenty graduates and 11 vendors attended the August 24 event, including Ameresco, Johnson Controls Inc., and Willdan. By connecting graduates directly to NYCHA vendors and contractors who are engaged in energy efficiency and renewable energy work across New York City, the NCEA is creating a pipeline from training to employment. Some graduates also chose to take a special session of the electricians’ apprenticeship exam that was scheduled for NCEA graduates; three have been accepted into the program, providing them with a pathway to union employment as electricians. The second cohort of the NCEA began on August 28, with two additional cohorts expected in spring 2024.  

For more information about the NYCHA Clean Energy Academy, please visit https://www.communityfund.nyc/cea.