NYCHA Residents Celebrate Graduation from Construction Pre-Apprenticeship

Upon entering a training program for a construction apprenticeship, NYCHA resident Carlos Robles only needed to think about his 8-year-old son.  

The resident of Manhattan’s Wald Houses – who is currently receiving unemployment assistance – is determined to find work in the construction industry that will allow him to support his son and give his family a comfortable life. He is seeking help with that goal from a NYCHA pre-apprenticeship program managed by nonprofit partner Rebuilding Together.  

“I haven’t worked for a while and have been really hard on myself, so I’m happy to actually be able to be doing something and be an inspiration to my son,” Mr. Robles said.  

The workforce program, which offers virtual construction training to NYCHA residents impacted by Superstorm Sandy, is part of NYCHA’s Sandy Recovery Pre-Apprenticeship Program, led by NYCHA’s Recovery and Resilience (R+R) Department. NYCHA secured $1.4 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund the pre-apprenticeship program.  

In addition to Rebuilding Together, programs are facilitated by Pathways to Apprenticeships and Non-traditional Employment for Women. Mr. Robles is one of nine NYCHA residents in Rebuilding Together’s newest cohort, who celebrated their graduation from training on March 19. 

The free program aims to connect graduates to apprenticeships in the building and construction trade unions working on NYCHA R+R contracts as well as projects at other developments. Residents living in non-Sandy-impacted developments are also allowed to participate.   

“We train NYCHA residents with the hopes of moving them into a unionized construction opportunity within the building trades,” said Robin Brown, Director of the Rebuilding Together program.  

The six-week course provides hands-on training in addition to covering construction math, basic blueprint reading, and online OSHA 30 and site safety training. For the hands-on learning, students have the opportunity to work at NYCHA community centers as well as some private homes. Participants are provided with various construction gear and safety equipment, and they also receive a $1,000 stipend. 

After discovering the pre-apprenticeship program through his Jobs Plus coordinator, Mr. Robles, a construction novice, said he was initially interested in enrolling to learn more about the role of an operating engineer. He also finds the trades of an electrician and elevator mechanic particularly appealing to explore.    

“I’m more of a hands-on person, and I love that type of thing,” he said.     

While the Rebuilding Together program had to pivot to remote training sessions due to the pandemic, Mr. Robles said that did not detract from the skills he managed to acquire.  

“I really soaked up a lot of knowledge,” he noted.  

Ms. Brown said that a key service of the program is helping NYCHA residents prepare for a construction trade union apprenticeship by coaching them on effective resumes, proper attire, and job interview skills. 

“We just want to make sure that we set the candidates up for success,” she said. “We try to give them all of the information so that they can make an informed decision and are able to manage expectations.”   

As one of Rebuilding Together’s newest graduates who is setting his sights on apprenticeship, Mr. Robles said he not only hopes to re-enter the workforce but to find a position where he can serve the community.  

“It would be amazing if I get a position and I get to help people, because that’s really one of the main things that I love doing,” he said.  

Rebuilding Together is currently recruiting for its next NYCHA cohort later this spring. For more information, visit rebuildnyc.org. 

Photo caption: Carlos Robles of Manhattan’s Wald Houses is one of nine NYCHA residents who are seeking a construction apprenticeship after graduating from Rebuilding Together’s program.