COLUMBUS, Ohio — First lady Jill Biden visited Columbus for the second time in three months Friday to focus on the workforce of tomorrow and to take part in a roundtable at the Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center.
Back in May, the Biden Administration named Columbus one of five Workforce Hubs across the country.
The first lady came here in July for the launch, and came back today to see how things are going and to hear from students.
She toured the Construction Arts and Auto Technology Building on the Fort Hayes campus to see the types of skills students are learning. She then held a roundtable with the principal of Fort Hayes, high school and college students and workers.
The Workforce Hub is an initiative to help train Ohio’s future workforce to meet the demand for more skilled workers at a time when major employers, such as Intel, are moving in.
The White House says she came to check on the progress being made by the Columbus workforce and talk to students about career pathways to good jobs.
In a short speech before the roundtable, the First Lady encouraged students to find the right career fit.
"I'm here to tell you that there just isn't one pathway to success; there are so many good options," Biden said. "You may start on one path and then you may finish on another. So, you know, it's not easy to figure out your life at 19 years old. I mean, I know I hadn't."
Since the Columbus Workforce Hub launched in May, Columbus State Community College started offering two classes in its new semiconductor certificate program. It also started an earn-and-learn partnership with the company Amgen to get students ready for biomanufacturing jobs at its new facility.
The Biden Administration says partners will also prepare at least 10,000 construction workers to help with expansion projects in central Ohio.
Biden’s visit to Columbus is part of the administration’s “Investing in America” tour.
