NYCHA Plasterer Academy Graduates First Class 

Eight NYCHA employees are set to move on to the next phase of their careers as Plasterers in the field.   

On March 1, the group of Plasterer Helpers, also known as Caretaker Ps, became the first graduates of NYCHA’s “Plasterer Academy.” The new six-month program provides the participants with in-field and classroom training to enhance their skills in all areas of plastering, including framing, lathing, and applying the three-coat system. 

In a ceremony at the academy’s training room at Astoria Houses in Queens, the employees were celebrated for passing the final practical exam that allows them to become provisional NYCHA Plasterers who will work in developments across the city.  

“I think they were extremely enthusiastic about the school, which they found very supportive,” Vice President for Technical Services Cal Bruno said of the graduates. “This really promotes advancement and opportunities for them to become Plasterers, which is a skilled trade.”        

Along with the promotional opportunities, Mr. Bruno noted that the inaugural initiative helps the Authority fill needed positions as seasoned Plasterers retire and the construction industry, which is shifting to using sheet rock and other materials instead of plaster, is producing fewer new Plasterers.  

“It really fulfills two great purposes – it helps with advancement for our staff and it also allows us to fill some of the gaps that we’re starting to see,” he explained.  

Shavelle Knox, Assistant Director at the Teamsters Local 237 union, touted the partnership with NYCHA to bring the comprehensive training to aspiring Plasterers, saying it was a long time coming.  

“I’m really grateful for this program,” she said. “It’s given a lot of people a second chance and it sets an example for those coming up through the ranks now.”  

Over the course of the six-month program, Supervisor Plasterer Geoffrey “Jake” Psillos said the participants each worked with a Plasterer in the field and received classroom training covering various plastering skills, ceramic tiling, and safety basics.  

“I think this first class did very well with learning the trade and will be able to service the apartments out in the field,” said Mr. Psillos, who led the classroom instruction. “They’re very excited, and I believe they’re going to be an asset to the Housing Authority.”  

Vice President for Technical Services Cal Bruno and Senior Vice President for Quality Assurance, Safety, and Technical Programs Lauren Gray speak to the first group of employees to complete the NYCHA Plasterer Academy program.

Veteran employee Latoya Cleary is among those who are thrilled to be advancing in the NYCHA workforce. Ms. Cleary, who has worked 14 of her nearly 29 years at NYCHA as a Plasterer Helper, has long aimed to become a full-time Plasterer, noting she enjoys working with her hands and hoped to follow the lead of her father, who was a builder in Brooklyn.  

“It feels wonderful, and it’s like a dream,” Ms. Cleary said of passing the practical exam for Plasterers. “We learned everything in this academy in six months. It means so much to me.” 

Fellow graduate John Williams praised the hands-on learning he received and said the academy experience “helped me tremendously.”  

Classmate Efrain Diaz was quick to credit the program for making him a better Plasterer, and he encouraged other aspiring trade workers to sign up for future classes.  

“I thought I knew how to plaster, but it took this class for me to really learn how to plaster,” he said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity.” 

A longtime Marcy Houses resident, Ms. Cleary feels well prepared to take on the job of serving residents thanks to the academy, and she takes pride in being the only woman to complete the first program. 

“I feel good about being the only female,” she said. “I want to show women that they can do it because I did it.”