Jill Biden visits Valparaiso's Ivy Tech campus

First Lady of the US (FLOTUS) Dr. Jill Biden flew into Valparaiso over spring break to promote the Biden administration’s support of clean energy and community colleges. Much of Northwest Indiana’s industries have historically been based around energy. Efforts and new programming at Valparaiso’s Ivy Tech Community College are working towards preparing a workforce for renewable energy. 

Biden herself has worked as an English professor at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) since 2009. Previously she taught at Delaware Technical & Community College for 15 years and high school for another 13 years prior. Biden’s continued career at NOVA makes her the first FLOTUS to have a paying job outside of her White House duties. 

“Two years ago, my husband President [Joe] Biden made a promise to rebuild the middle class. You know what that exactly does, who does that is community colleges. As Joe has said, they provide the best career training in America,” said Biden. “Community colleges are flexible and they meet students where they are and they offer programs tailored to the communities where they serve.”

Because of her strong ties to community college as an institution, Biden has been traveling the U.S. to advocate for accessible higher education and technical training programs. During her March 6 visit to the Valparaiso Ivy Tech campus, Biden was met with a number of students, administrators and Indiana politicians.

After working at NIPSCO for 37 years, Mike Jones started the Energy Technology program at Ivy Tech and served as its chair for 10 years. He now serves as an adjunct professor and spoke at the event.

“Ivy Tech offers a one year Technical Certificate in both renewable energy and an electric line. Both of those can lead to a two year associate degree in interview technology. The classwork consists of bookwork as well as hands-on work … Our jobs that our students get as they come out of Ivy Tech as a graduate, are, on average, about $45 an hour,” said Jones.

Students have the opportunity to select from four technical certifications: Electric Line Technology, Industrial Wind Technology, Natural Gas Technology, Power Plant Technology and Renewable Energy Technology. 

“I came to Ivy Tech because of the hands-on education, because it's also the speed that I could get an education to get into the career that I'm passionate about. As soon as I get my certificate certification, I'll be looking for a solar installer job,” said Lane Seibert, an Ivy Tech student. “Eventually, as a solar installer, you're looking for more certification to eventually become an energy auditor, because that's my true passion, whole energy efficiency and energy.” 

Ivy Tech has a long history of offering technical skills to students to prepare them for different trades.

“Ivy Tech is the nation's largest statewide singly accredited community college serving almost 175,000 students on 19 campuses in 40 locations. But we were born in 1963 as Indiana Vocational Technical College. So unlike many community colleges, we have always embraced technical education,” said Dr. Sue Ellspermann, President of Ivy Tech.

The college is working to expand access to students who may not otherwise have access to higher education or certifications.

“You also have nearly two million working age Hoosiers with no post secondary credential. These are those entry level workers and single moms who struggle to support their families. These are jobs that are most vulnerable to automation. At the same time, employers can't find the technicians for the advanced automation, smart manufacturing, data analytics and IT kinds of positions,” Ellspermann said. “So through our partnership with more than 250 employers, we offer upskilling through Achieve Your Degree tuition assistance program and the state of Indiana's own programs of Next Level Jobs with more than 50 credentials that Hoosiers can earn for free while they're working. We leveraged our federal emergency relief funds to provide books for free to our students these last two years [worth] $50 million.” 

These efforts were echoed by President Biden’s cabinet as a nationwide effort.

“The Biden administration believes deeply in community colleges because we believe that everyone deserves a fair shot. The Department of Labor in this administration has begun a grant program called Strengthening Community Colleges. Ivy Tech is using these funds to recruit and train historically underrepresented workers, particularly people of color,” said Julie Su, current Deputy Secretary of Labor nominated as Secretary of Labor by President Biden.

Local Indiana politicians joined the event to emphasize the relevance of energy education for the region.

“We [Northwest Indiana] are home to an incredible industrial manufacturing workforce, our people and our education and our workforce is our strength,” said Frank Mrvan, the U.S. House Representative for Indiana’s 1st District, which includes Valparaiso.

“I was proud, very proud to join my colleagues in the House and vote for a bipartisan infrastructure bill that President Joe Biden had talked about. We were able to pass that. That is a once in a generation investment in the American worker, and also in renewable energy technology,” Mrvan said. “So when we're looking for the next generation of jobs, and when these young men and women are looking for that, the investment that we have made in the infrastructure bill is something that will bridge that gap and allow us that opportunity to give us hope.” 

As the economy and job market fluctuate, the future is bright for those looking to take on technical skills.

“It’s estimated that by the early 2030s we’re going to need more than a million new electricians. That’s just electricians. Think of all the other jobs, good jobs, paying jobs, jobs that will last well into the future. That is a huge win,” said David Turk, Deputy Secretary of Energy.

Turk shared his story of growing up in a town that faced severe challenges from changes in energy needs, a problem facing many Indiana communities.

“The second win we have is a win for our communities. My hometown, I don’t think too dissimilar to some towns around this area, was a steel mill community. When I was growing up, times weren't that great. The steel mill that a large percentage of my fellow students, my fellow families that I grew up with, worked at. It was closing down,” Turk said. “I can tell you those who've lived in communities where we’ve had some of those challenges, what that means. What that means to the pride and dignity of people who used to have jobs, stable jobs, where they could pay for their family, pay for vacation every now and again. That was crumbling and you could see it in the divorces, you could see it in all kinds of things in the community I grew up in. We have an opportunity to go in the other direction here. We've got phenomenal opportunities in this clean energy landscape.”

Biden reaffirmed the necessity of these programs for all of Indiana and the nation, regardless of political affiliation. 

“These aren't a Democrat idea or a Republican idea, they're American ideas championed by leaders from both parties. For many years they've helped students from all communities, red and blue, urban and suburban and everywhere in between,” Biden said.

She, and the other speakers, highlighted how Ivy Tech and other programs are providing the skills necessary to rebuild the middle class.

“Career connected learning that starts in high school, provides access to two years of community college and connects to great jobs is the future of our workforce. It's how we grow our economy from the bottom up and the middle out,” Biden said.

Biden ended her speech with a call to action encouraging new pathways towards education and careers. President Biden has called for free community college and included funding in his 2024 budget proposal.

“We need more communities to follow Ivy Tech's lead because when they do, all students, no matter what their background, will have the chance to follow their passions and find a pathway to a great job,” Biden said. “Together we're gonna be able to fundamentally transform what it means to make a living and make a life here in America.”