Augusta, GA
First lady visits Augusta as part of economic tour
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta is one of just five communities across the U.S. named a workforce hub city by the Biden administration – and the first lady was in Augusta on Tuesday to talk about it.
She was here along with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona as part of a tour to highlight the Biden administration’s economic programs and policies. On her visit, the first lady also highlighted jobs created under the American Rescue Plan, Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act.
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The goal in creating workforce hubs is to enhance training and demand for high-paying, green jobs.
It’s a massive investment with a ripple effect for Augusta and the entire country, and the first lady on Tuesday got to see first-hand how students are filling critical jobs.
She observed what’s going on at Augusta Tech College, gave a speech and met some of the students – seeing how Augusta Tech is training our next workforce.
SEE THE SPEECH:
Here’s what the speakers said when Jill Biden visited Augusta Technical College on July 18, 2023.
“The Biden-Harris administration is working with local leaders, colleges and public schools, unions and employers to develop new training pathways to good careers created by those public and private investments,” she said.
The Augusta workforce hub is a partnership with the mayor’s office, Augusta Tech, Aiken Tech and the Richmond County School System.
First lady Jill Biden came to Augusta on July 18, 2023, to promote the president’s economic programs.
Joined by Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson and August Tech President Dr. Jermaine Whirl, Biden met students and instructors at a middle school summer camp and a classroom for manufacturing.
She heard from an instructor about student curriculum during a summer camp and observed middle school students learning about soldering. She also observed students learning the fundamentals of auditing a manufacturing assembly line. These skills reflect what students learn while pursuing a mechatronics technology associate degree.
During her visit, Biden participated in an interactive session with the Augusta Tech Cougars Manufacturing Camp, a free camp for 12- to 14-year-olds to Inspire middle-school age kids to consider a career in manufacturing, showcase the educational pathways of industrial mechanics, and expose disadvantaged student populations to the college campus and the hands-on nature of technical careers.
She also met with mechatronics instructor Ted Herlo and students Patrick Kling and Dustin Phillips, who demonstrated an assembly line process and showcased the vital role community colleges play in empowering students and bridging the skills gap in today’s rapidly evolving workforce.
Biden spoke passionately about the critical role that community colleges play in creating pathways to economic opportunity.
“As a community college professor myself, I’m so excited to see how this work changes people’s lives. … because for most people, a high school diploma alone … it’s just not enough to find a great career. But that doesn’t mean that there’s only one pathway to success,” she said.
Whirl expressed his gratitude for Biden’s visit and her dedication to educational excellence.
“Dr. Biden’s visit has invigorated our entire college community,” Whirl said. “We are immensely grateful for her support and commitment to advancing workforce development and promoting the value of community colleges nationwide.”
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