NCIA will honor Mayor Brandon M. Scott with its inaugural Baltimore Workforce Visionary Award during the organization’s Vocational Training Center (VTC) graduation ceremony on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at 10 a.m. The public event will take place at Forest Park High School (3701 Eldorado Ave.) and celebrate 65 Baltimore-area residents who have completed industry-recognized workforce training.
Graduates have earned certifications in high-demand fields such as HVAC, CDL, and automotive repair through NCIA’s free vocational programs. These training pathways strengthen Baltimore’s workforce and provide residents—many of whom face significant barriers to employment—with practical skills that lead to stable, well-paying careers.
This year’s ceremony will also highlight Mayor Scott’s leadership in advancing equitable workforce development. The new Baltimore Workforce Visionary Award recognizes his ongoing commitment to creating opportunities for underserved communities. The honor follows national recognition for the mayor, who was recently featured on TIME’s Most Influential Rising Stars list and the Ebony Power 100 for transformative urban leadership.
Read The Baltimore Times’ coverage of those accolades here:
https://baltimoretimes-online.com/latest-news/2025/11/26/mayor-brandon-m-scott-earns-dual-national-honors-from-time-and-ebony-for-transformative-urban-leadership/
Under Mayor Scott’s administration, Baltimore City has made direct investments in NCIA’s Vocational Training Center through the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED) and the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE), helping sustain programs that connect historically underserved residents to meaningful career pathways.
“I am honored to receive the Baltimore Workforce Visionary Award,” Mayor Scott said. “Workforce development is one of the most powerful tools we have to build safer, stronger communities in our city. NCIA’s Vocational Training Center embodies the spirit of Baltimore: resilient and hardworking. I am proud to partner with them as we continue creating opportunities for every resident to reach their full potential.”
Since its founding in 2017, NCIA’s Baltimore VTC has enrolled more than 2,200 Marylanders, achieved a 76% completion rate, and maintained a 65% employment rate for graduates. Participants earn an average starting wage of $21.36 per hour, with every 100 graduates who secure employment generating an estimated $5 million in annual economic impact—a testament to the program’s far-reaching influence on both families and the city’s economy.
“Mayor Scott has redefined what it means to invest in people,” said NCIA CEO Carole Argo. “His approach reflects a deep commitment to creating pathways to economic mobility, reducing crime through opportunity, and building a stronger, more equitable Baltimore. Our graduates stand as living proof that access to vocational training changes lives, families, and communities.”
NCIA’s training programs operate at no cost to participants and are supported by public and private partners including the Maryland Department of Human Services, MOED, Grads to Career, the Department of Justice, and the Weinberg, Abell, and France-Merrick foundations.
As part of its annual giving campaign, NCIA’s board of directors will match all donations up to $50,000 made between November 19 and December 6. Funds raised will help expand access to training for individuals experiencing barriers such as incarceration, homelessness, or economic hardship.
For more information or to make a donation, visit www.ncianet.org/donate.