Apr. 15—GUILFORD COUNTY — First lady Jill Biden visited Guilford Technical Community College’s Greensboro campus on Monday as part of a day spent putting a spotlight on federal, state and local efforts toward career-focused education.

Biden visited Pitt Community College in Winterville before coming to Greensboro.

North Carolina is a leader in dual enrollment through its College and Career Promise program, which allows high school students to also enroll in local community colleges and other public universities tuition-free. This school year, Guilford County Schools saw a 46% increase in dual enrollment to nearly 2,000 students, compared to a 12% increase statewide.

“North Carolina has been a leader in providing those opportunities and is exemplary in transforming high school into a place that prepares students for jobs,” Biden said. “It’s what we need to do today to open up all the possibilities of tomorrow — for our young people, our communities, and our country. This is going to change lives, lift up families, and grow our economy.”

Biden, a community college teacher, also met with GCS students, including Giovanni Robinson, a fourth-year student at The Middle College at GTCC-Greensboro, and Teniola Oladunjoye, a fifth-year student at The Middle College at GTCC-Jamestown, who shared their experiences in the dual-enrollment program.

Research shows that students in North Carolina’s CCP program were more likely to graduate high school and more likely to enroll in college compared to their peers.

According to GTCC, GCS students who have earned a credential through CCP saved more than $630 million in tuition costs in the spring of 2023. Biden said the Biden administration seeks to make this a reality for high school students across the country through the Classroom to Career proposal, which would partner with states to give students an opportunity to take community college courses in high school.