Vocational training center gives those formerly incarcerated a second chance

    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) -- A Maryland vocational training center, a nonprofit organization, helps people with a history of incarceration get back on their feet.

The NCIA Vocational Training Center, a nonprofit organization in Baltimore, has helped more than 2,000 people ring in a new chapter in their lives through vocational training, support, and employment services.

The goal of the program is to assist people who have been convicted of crimes in overcoming barriers to build a better life.

"These are individuals who have acknowledged the mistakes they made; they no longer want to be part of those systems that got them into those second chance situations," said NCIA Executive Director Walter Billips. "They really seize the opportunity, and in most cases, they don't look back."

More about the NCIA Vocational Center

Donald Flood, a graduate of the NCIA Vocational Training Center, said his history of incarceration made it nearly impossible for him to get back on his feet until he found NCIA.

"I couldn't get a job," Flood said. "(NCIA) gives you the tools you need."

The vocational center offers training for CDL commercial driving, HVAC heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, and automotive mechanics.

Once they get their certifications, the center connects participants with potential employers and helps prepare them for interviews, from the resume to what they are going to wear.

"Their confidence, their decision making, their ability to have set goals and plans for their life so they can live a good quality of life," Billips said.

After graduating from the program, Flood found full-time employment driving for Baltimore City. He also drives a shuttle bus at Morgan State.

Flood says he now looks forward to building a better future for himself and his family.

"I'm happy I believed in myself to complete the program. That's the biggest part," Flood said.