November 24, 2025
Tell us about yourself.
My name is Maurice Little. I am a lifetime resident of New Haven. I grew up in Newhallville, and I’ve been doing custodial work for the last 45 years. I started out in high school with my uncle, cleaning banks after school. Now, I work at Yale as a custodian, and I also work for the City of the New Haven Public Works as a Bridge Operator. When I am not at work, I love fishing, watching sports, and riding my motorcycle.
Tell us about your current role at Yale.
I’ve been a custodian in Pauli Murray since December 2024. In the mornings, I clean the restrooms and common areas. I have a good rapport with the students. I started during Summer Sessions and seeing the students was always a joy. I report to the senior custodian. I know how to run about mostly all the equipment put in front of me. If I need help, I know I can go to my senior custodian or CTO. Occasionally, there are some emergencies, but for the most part, my day is pretty normal. I learn as I go.
Tell us about your job search experience.
New Haven Works helped me tremendously, especially when it came to my resume. My job coach, Mr. Elias Estabrook, made sure my references were up to date and offered lots of great critiques. NHW helped get my resume out to a lot of different places, but my main goal was the university, and I didn’t know the right people. Working with New Haven Works was the key to getting me where I wanted to go.
You participated in one of Yale’s pathway programs. What was the experience like? How does the culture of learning and development at Yale impact you?
I had the opportunity to work in the dining halls through the hospitality program for about a year. I started as a dishwasher. Then, I worked at the CSC warehouse, where the main food is prepared and stored. We pull what the cooks need from the shelves and bring it to their workstation. I picked up the work quickly and I could choose my own hours. My supervisor and I got along well. He wanted me to stay with him because he recognized I was a great worker.
A custodial job at the Peabody Museum opened. I interviewed for it and was rewarded with a job. There, I cleaned the glasses. It was new to me being in the Peabody itself. I got to look at the exhibits all the time. I interacted with the little elementary students that would come in. It was something new every day. Once I worked 395 hours, I was able to bid on a permanent job. Lots of jobs were looking for candidates with skills and abilities, not just seniority, so my early experiences at Yale helped build my background.
Even though I have 40 years of experience, I am open to learning a better way, because the way someone else does something may be easier than the way I do it. I love all of my coworkers. I can’t speak highly enough about them. We’re really like a family and it’s good when you don’t mind coming to work. Every department I’ve been in, it’s been the same. Everyone lends a helping hand.
What advice do you have for other job seekers?
As long as you stick with New Haven Works’s program, I think they can help you get into the university and any other good jobs around New Haven. They have a lot of good connections. I joined three to four years ago. At the time I was job searching, I already had a decent job, but my main goal was to get into the university and my gateway to get in was through New Haven Works.
What is next for you?
My personal goal is to move into a leadership role as a senior custodian or CTO. I have to take a test and pass to be considered. For every test I take, I buy an examination book to study. It’ll be good for me to refresh some things. With all my years in custodial work, I know I have the experience, and I think I can pass the tests once I take them.