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For 26-year-old Nigel Peña of Brooklyn’s Marlboro Houses, the turning point came in the spring of 2023, when a NYCHA flyer caught his eye. It led him to the NYCHA Resident Training Academy’s Construction Pre-Apprenticeship Program—an intensive, hands-on course offered by NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment & Sustainability (REES) that teaches plumbing, drywall, painting, electrical work, and more over the course of six to eight weeks.

“I studied coding at Brooklyn College, but I didn’t enjoy it,” Mr. Peña recalled. “I’d rather work with my hands.” The program’s small class size—fewer than 10 adult students of varying ages—meant personalized attention from instructors. Mr. Peña learned to use tools he’d never touched before, gaining both technical skills and confidence.

The program also offered career counseling. When Mr. Peña expressed interest in electrical work, staff connected him with preparation courses for the Local 3 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union apprenticeship exam. While many candidates wait years for a spot, Mr. Peña took the test in August and was working by September.

Now a Local 3 apprentice, Mr. Peña is two years into a four-year program that blends on-the-job learning with classroom instruction. “It’s challenging, but if you’re willing to learn, it’s fun,” he said.

For Mr. Peña, the program was more than just job training — it was a career reset. “At that point in my life, I didn’t see myself doing anything with what I was studying in college. This showed me there are other avenues, not only computers and office work.”

To learn more and take advantage of NYCHA REES programs like the one Mr. Peña found so helpful, visit the REES website at: https://opportunitynycha.org/about-adult-education/.