NYCHA Heating Plant Technician Trainee Program Graduates Latest Class

NEW YORK CITY — A fifteen student cohort of the NYCHA Heating Plant Technician (HPT) Trainee Program celebrated their graduation from the program this week.

The graduation marks a step toward long-term green careers supporting clean energy use within NYCHA, officials told Patch.

The trainee program is funded through a Con Edison grant and is done in collaboration with CUNY New York City College of Technology (City Tech), New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), Con Edison, and Public Housing Community Fund (PHCF).

The six-month program teaches the cohort of NYCHA residents about traditional and innovative heating technologies, providing a combination of classroom instruction and on-the-job training in heating fundamentals, mechanics, repair, and maintenance of heating equipment and provision of heat and hot water for all NYCHA-managed properties, according to officials.

Every week, trainees spend three days at a NYCHA development job shadowing an experienced NYCHA heating professional and two days at City Tech for classroom and hands-on instruction.

Each trainee is paired with an experienced HPT or Heating Supervisor, who provides guidance and support as they complete their assignments, shares expertise and resources, and offers constructive feedback.

“The Heating Plant Technician Trainee Program lays the groundwork for NYCHA residents to pursue viable careers in the critical, in-demand field of clean energy,” NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt told Patch. “We cannot thank our partners in this program enough for investing in the long-term success of NYCHA residents, and we extend our sincere congratulations to the graduating cohort, who will surely go on to accomplish great things.”

"The Heating Plant Technician Trainee Program is an amazing resource that helps NYCHA residents become future leaders at the Authority," said NYCHA Chief Operating Officer Eva Trimble. "Current NYCHA leaders graduated from a previous iteration of this program, and I'm thrilled to bring this opportunity back for our residents. While the graduating trainees have received both comprehensive classroom instruction and hands-on experience in the field, our investment in them is not over, as we will continue to support them as they hone their skills and look to them to support future cohorts in the pursuit of their own successful futures at NYCHA."

The majority of program participants receive a job offer from NYCHA to be an HPT serving its robust housing portfolio.

Also, trainees earn professional certificates through the Business and Industry Workforce Training Center at City Tech, which qualifies them to take the NYC HPT civil service exam.

“I was excited to have the privilege to work with my mentor and learn about boiler systems and safety protocols,” said Kevin Chavez, HPT Trainee. “My mentor fostered an environment where questions were always welcomed no matter how small. Understanding the intricacies of boiler systems prepared me to be successful in the heating field for the future of my career.”

The next cohort of trainees will begin the program in the summer of 2025. Learn more about the program and how to get involved at https://opportunitynycha.org/