First Lady Pool Reports of March 6, 2023

FLOTUS Press Pool Report #1 - Valparaiso, IN

Jill Biden, first lady of the U.S.; U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie Su; U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy David Turk are visiting Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso, Ind. Joining them is U.S. Rep Frank Mrvan D-Highland, Ind.; Sue Ellspermann, president of Ivy Tech Community College; Lane Seibert, an Ivy Tech Community College student and others.

Biden is wearing a blue dress, black jacket and black boots.

When she arrived at the college, Biden met with faculty, students and a graduate of the college's energy technology department.

Mike Jones, Ivy Tech adjunct faculty, told her that the local utility NIPSCO has a policy that guarantees their students job interviews.

Then, Biden spoke with the chair of the college's renewable energy program. He said that Indiana has one of the fastest growing renewable energy grids in the country.

Biden spoke with Oliver Wood, a high school sophomore, who is taking classes at both Ivy Tech Community College and Chesterton High School. Wood gave a demonstration of a wind turbine simulator.

Biden also spoke with a student who immigrated from Chad before coming to Indiana and studying renewable energy at Ivy Tech Community College. He said he is expected to graduate in May and his goal is to one day found his own company.

"This is so exciting," Biden said while speaking with students in the renewable energy program. "This is the future."

The students then gave Biden a demonstration of a solar energy system simulator.

"You are our future," Biden told the students after the demonstration.

The press pool is now awaiting remarks from Biden and the other speakers.

REPORTABLE BACKGROUND FROM THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY:

First Lady Jill Biden, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor and nominee for U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su, and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy David Turk will visit Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso, Indiana to highlight the Biden Administration's commitment to strengthening our economy and building affordable pathways to good-paying jobs through career-connected learning. In the President's State of the Union Address last month, he stated that community colleges provide the "best career training in America," and highlighted the millions of jobs that the Biden-Harris Administration has created, including in growing sectors like infrastructure, clean energy, and manufacturing through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act.

During their visit, the First Lady, Deputy Secretary Su, and Deputy Secretary Turk will tour Ivy Tech's Flex Lab and hear from high school and college students training in the Renewable Energy program. There will be a speaking program following the tour.

Visit with Students participating in Ivy Tech's Renewable Energy Program:
The First Lady, Deputy Secretary Su, and Deputy Secretary Turk will tour Ivy Tech Community College Valparaiso Campus' Flex Lab to meet with students who are training on equipment relevant to designing, maintaining, and installing wind turbines and solar panels as part of the Renewable Energy program. Ivy Tech created the program to address workforce demands in solar and wind energy jobs in Northwest Indiana, and has built strong industry partnerships with local employers.

• Electric Line Technology: Students and an instructor will discuss Ivy Tech's electric line program, the program's hands-on learning opportunities, and the electric line job market.
• Wind Energy: A high school student and an instructor will discuss the evolution of the energy industry and Ivy Tech's dual enrollment opportunities.
• Solar Energy: Students and an instructor will discuss the benefits of solar energy, the demand for Ivy Tech's Renewable Energy Program, and the development of a solar workforce.

Remarks program:

• Dr. Sue Ellspermann, President, Ivy Tech Community College
• Congressman Frank Mrvan
• U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie Su
• U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy David Turk
• Lane Seibert, Student at Ivy Tech Community College
• First Lady Jill Biden

The Biden-Harris Administration's Investment in Community Colleges:
Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor announced $50 million in grants to help 15 community colleges in 14 states expand access to education and training for good-paying jobs and equitably meet employers' and workers' skill development needs. The funding – together with the $45 million awarded in September 2022 – will be a combined investment of $95 million since 2022 in the community college system from the Department of Labor under the Biden-Harris Administration, allowing 28 community colleges in 24 states to provide career pathways for participants to train in healthcare, teaching, clean energy, and other key industries.

The First Lady has been a fierce advocate for career-connected learning programs and pathways to good-paying jobs. Most recently:

• February 2023: The First Lady joined U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Mayor John Giles to visit Mesa Community College to highlight how affordable community college programs like Mesa College Promise are providing students with career-connected learning opportunities that lead to good-paying jobs.
• November 2022: The First Lady delivered remarks at the College Promise Careers Institute in Washington, D.C. to highlight the importance and expansion of programs that provide tuition- and barrier-free college, in order to increase access to career-connected learning and good-paying jobs.
• November 2022: To kick off National Apprenticeship Week, the First Lady, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona traveled to Chicago, Illinois to highlight the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to strengthening our economy and building pathways to good-paying jobs through career-connected learning, Registered Apprenticeships, and community colleges. They visited District 214's Rolling Meadows High School to meet with students in the school's Career Pathways program and visited Aon to meet apprentices and learn about the partnership with the Chicago Apprentice Network and the Business Roundtable.
• October 2022: On National Manufacturing Day, the First Lady visited Bates Technical College (BTC) in Tacoma, WA, to highlight its job training programs as leading examples for community college and technical career pipelines that connect current high school and postsecondary students to resources and opportunities.
• September 2022: The First Lady, Secretary Marty Walsh, and Secretary Gina Raimondo spoke at an event at the White House launching the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative, a national network of more than 200 employers and industry organizations, labor organizations, educators, workforce intermediaries, and community-based organizations who are committed to strengthening and diversifying Registered Apprenticeship.
• July 2022: The First Lady and U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh visited Eversource Station 99, an electrical substation servicing the Seaport District of Boston, MA, to highlight Bunker Hill Community College's (BHCC) partnership with Eversource and local unions to provide job training opportunities to BHCC students.
• March 2022: The First Lady visited Intel's Ocotillo Campus in Chandler, AZ to highlight how Intel is collaborating with Maricopa County Community College District to train workers and grow the workforce by investing in new technology and manufacturing.

Additional background on Dr. Biden's history as an educator:

• As a classroom teacher for more than 30 years, the First Lady continues to shine a spotlight on teachers and the profession.
• Dr. Biden continues to teach English and writing at Northern Virginia Community College, where she has been a professor since 2009.

Ivy Tech Community College:
Founded in 1963, Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's state community college. Ivy Tech is the state's largest public post-secondary educational institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college. Ivy Tech Community College serves nearly 150,000 students annually. Ivy Tech Community College has 43 locations throughout Indiana and 24 satellite locations where students can take classes and receive student services. Student can also take a number of courses online.

FLOTUS Press Pool Report #2 - Valparaiso, IN

Jill Biden, first lady of the U.S.; U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, Ind.; U.S Deputy Secretary of Labor and nominee for U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su; U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy David Turk; Sue Ellspermann, President of Ivy Tech Community College; and Lane Seibert, a student, spoke at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso, Ind. Monday afternoon.

Ellspermann spoke first. She spoke about the college's strategic plan.

Mrvan spoke next. He welcomed Biden, Su and Turk to northwest Indiana. He spoke about the region's manufacturing industry and said he was proud to vote for Biden's bipartisan infrastructure bill. He called the bill a "once in a generation investment" in the American worker and in renewable energy. He also boasted about securing a federal grant for Ivy Tech Community College in East Chicago, Ind.

Su spoke next.

"We not only have a president who champions community colleges," Su said. "We have a first lady who loves community colleges, who teaches at a community college and who is making sure that everyone understands how critical community colleges are in our communities."

Su spoke about the Biden administration's efforts to upgrade the country's infrastructure and how that creates jobs.

Su acknowledged members of the steel workers and IBEW unions, which led to a round of applause.

Turk spoke next. He said both his parents were involved at a community college when he was growing up in Illinois. Turk also praised Biden, calling her "a public servant."

"I think the top compliment anyone can give someone else in Washington, D.C. is what you see in public is what you see, what you get in private," Turk said. "That is our first lady to a T."

Seibart spoke next. She said she is working towards her renewable energy certificate at Ivy Tech Community College. She called Biden "inspiring."

Biden spoke next. She received a standing ovation. She said she was impressed that the college had its students sit in the front rows rather than high profile figures.

"Two years ago, my husband President Biden made a promise to rebuild the middle class," Biden said. "And you know what that exactly does? Who does that is community colleges. And as Joe has said, they provide the best career training in America."

She spoke about registered apprenticeships and about providing dual enrollment opportunities for high school students. She said these are not "a Democrat idea or a Republican idea. They're American ideas championed by leaders from both parties."

"High school education just isn't enough for so many of the jobs of the 21st century," Biden said. "But there are great careers out there that can be found with associate's degrees and certificates and other job training and paths that don't really require the four years of college."

Biden said her husband is creating millions of jobs in infrastructure and clean energy.

"Jobs that are just waiting to be filled by students like you," Biden said referring to the Ivy Tech Community College students in the front few rows.

Biden spoke for roughly seven minutes.