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NYCHA Now
Neighborhood Administrator Anthony Dingle
April 2022 Neighborhood Administrators 

NYCHA Neighborhood Administrator Presents Career Tips to Harlem Youth

Vincent Echavaria

NYCHA employee Anthony Dingle looked back on his 32 years of experience when seeking some words of wisdom for a group of young students at the Harlem Children’s Zone.  

In a virtual, career-themed speech to the youth on April 13, Mr. Dingle, a Manhattan neighborhood administrator, offered some advice on how to keep a job and set professional goals. The meeting was held during the nonprofit Harlem Children Zone’s Exposure Opportunity Program, which promotes career readiness skills for youth ages 16 to 23.   

Mr. Dingle, who oversees St. Nicholas Houses, Grant Houses, Manhattanville Houses, and King Towers, was invited to speak to Harlem Children’s Zone students and their instructor about his employment background and work at NYCHA. A Bronx resident who started his NYCHA career as a maintenance worker, Mr. Dingle has served for eight years as a neighborhood administrator and regional asset manager.  

He said he was pleased to see how the youth were curious to learn about his role with the Authority, his career path, and any recommendations for entering the working environment. Among the topics he highlighted for the group was the importance of commitment and integrity, and working well with others.  

“It was a great conversation,” Mr. Dingle said. “After my speech, we spoke for about 30 minutes and they kept asking questions.”  

The longtime NYCHA employee also discussed the importance of education for young workers, noting how attending college and earning a degree can improve their chances to increase their salary.  

As a New Yorker who grew up in the South Bronx and started his first summer job at age 14, Mr. Dingle said he shares many similarities with the Harlem Children’s Zone students who are focused on their future and are faced with a number of decisions that could impact their career trajectory.   

“I built my career off of my energy,” he said. “I was in their shoes, and I related to them about where they’re at right now trying to decide what to do and what’s good and bad.”