NYCHA Employees Thrive in Management Roles Years After NRTA Janitorial Training 

Several years after starting their NYCHA careers as Caretakers, Tiphany Malloy and Jermaine Hall have moved up the ranks to management-level roles.  

South Beach Houses resident Ms. Malloy has been serving as an Assistant Resident Buildings Superintendent at the Woodson/Van Dyke II Houses consolidation in Brooklyn for over a year, while former Saint Mary’s Park Houses resident Mr. Hall has worked as the Supervisor of Grounds at Forest Houses in the Bronx for about six months.   

While the former Caretakers have taken divergent paths, both say they have NYCHA’s Resident Training Academy (NRTA) janitorial track to thank for jumpstarting their career trajectory. The free program, facilitated by Brooklyn Workforce Innovations, through partnership with NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability (REES), provides NYCHA residents with training and job placement assistance in the janitorial services industry. Participants earn certification for OSHA 10-hour training and learn industry skills such as equipment and compactor operation, floor stripping and finishing, and hands-on cleaning.  

At the time Mr. Hall enrolled in the program in 2018, he was out of work, had recently celebrated the birth of his daughter, and was looking for a stable job with good benefits to help take care of his growing family. When a family member told him about the free NRTA course, he said he “jumped on that opportunity” and was pleased to learn that NYCHA offered a pathway for career growth. 

“I knew I wanted a job that gave me security,” said Mr. Hall, who previously lived at NYCHA for 24 years.   

After seeing a program flyer in her building’s lobby, Ms. Malloy believed that earning a janitorial job could be a good first step toward her goal of working in heating services.  

“When I saw that NYCHA was giving residents the opportunity to get jobs, that’s what first appealed to me,” recalled Ms. Malloy, who grew up at Lafayette Gardens in Brooklyn and joined the NRTA in 2016.    

In addition to various on-the-job skills, the two graduates credit the training for imparting information about job safety and professionalism, as well as boosting knowledge and confidence levels to progress in the workforce.  

“I took everything that the NRTA offered, and it helped propel me to the next level,” Ms. Malloy said. “I had the burning desire to make it, and that program was my first and second steps.”  

Mr. Hall added, “Those lessons stuck with me and I used those to move forward.”  

Josephine Melendez, Assistant Director of Adult Education and Training at REES, noted: “The NRTA janitorial track has served as an entry point for many residents to gain training and competitive skills to begin a career at NYCHA. We are very proud of the program’s success and look forward to continued partnership with NYCHA colleagues, residents, and training partners on the NRTA.” 

Over the past 13 years, nearly 2,900 NYCHA residents have completed the janitorial track training, with 91 percent of graduates placed into positions as Caretakers, helping to maintain NYCHA’s grounds, buildings, and public spaces.  

After starting out as a Caretaker, Mr. Hall later served as a Maintenance Worker before accepting the job as Supervisor of Grounds, in which he inspects the Forest Houses campus to help preserve a clean, safe environment for residents.  

“I’m a people person, so I talk to residents about any issues they may have and I try my best to assist them with it,” he said. “I try to provide a great environment for the residents who are living there, and it’s like I’m giving back to NYCHA because they kept a roof over my head for such a long time.” 

Mr. Hall, who supervises a team of more than 10 employees, noted that the management role presents a new challenge each day and is well matched with his strengths.  

“I’m the type of person that likes challenges because it gives me a chance to do problem solving; I love problem solving and it’s one of my strongest traits,” he explained. “It just keeps you on your toes, and I think that’s what I enjoy most about it.”  

Also launching her NYCHA career as a Caretaker, Ms. Malloy subsequently served as a Heating Plant Technician for three years before rising to Assistant Resident Buildings Superintendent, addressing a variety of issues such as work orders, abatement testing, and resident move-outs. She takes “full pride in this position,” overseeing a staff of Maintenance Workers, Caretakers, and a Supervisor of Grounds.     

Ms. Malloy recently passed the civil service exam for Superintendent and eventually hopes to work in compliance. “I work really hard and I’ve earned it. I’m so proud of myself to get where I am.”  

Looking back to the NRTA janitorial training they completed years ago, both Mr. Hall and Ms. Malloy have high praises and credit the program’s teachings for setting them on the path to success in the NYCHA workplace.   

“It’s a great opportunity for someone like me who was looking for job security and for an organization to grow and advance in,” Mr. Hall stated.  

Ms. Malloy said: “With that program, when you get to the end of it you have the knowledge of everything – not just the job tasks, but you have knowledge of your self worth and what you can do. I feel that without the training, I couldn’t have done it. That program was very instrumental to my success.”  

Recruitment for the NRTA’s janitorial track is open and ongoing; learn about the application process here. For more information about the training program, click here.

Featured photo caption: South Beach Houses resident Tiphany Malloy has served as an Assistant Resident Buildings Superintendent at the Woodson/Van Dyke II consolidation for more than a year.