Three North Carolina community colleges along with the North Carolina Community College System office participated in a bipartisan convening at the White House this week, including Davidson-Davie Community College, Edgecombe Community College, and Forsyth Technical Community College (Forsyth Tech).

“The Biden-Harris Administration convened community college presidents and provosts at the White House to discuss the ways they are strengthening talent pipelines into growing sectors,” according to a statement from the White House.

Officials from the Biden-Harris Administration — including the Domestic Policy Council, the National Economic Council, the Office of the First Lady, the Department of Education, and the Department of Labor — heard from more than 30 community college leaders representing 21 states.

The convening included discussion about successful strategies for recruiting and training a diverse array of students and workers; their efforts to create partnerships with K-12 systems, employers, labor unions, local elected leaders, and others; and how the Biden-Harris Administration can continue to support their efforts, said the statement.

Dr. Janet Spriggs, the president of Forsyth Tech, posted on LinkedIn:

Today was an incredible day! Along with several other Forsyth Technical Community College representatives, including three Forsyth Tech Trustees, our SGA President Azeeza Evelyna, and Paula Chrin Dibley and Dr. Sara Singleton had the privilege of visiting the “People’s House” for a private tour of The White House. This opportunity was made possible while attending the Association of Community Colleges Trustee Association Law Seminar in Washington, DC.

Even more exciting, I had the honor of representing Forsyth Tech at a listening session hosted by the Executive Office of the President of the United States, along with representatives from the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor. I had the chance to discuss the great work we’re doing at Forsyth Tech to achieve our vision of being a catalyst for equitable economic mobility and to build a skilled workforce to meet the demands of businesses and industries in our state. During the session, I highlighted our successful partnerships with Winston Salem Forsyth County Schools, our efforts to educate a diverse workforce for biotechnology, our College Lift program, and our award-winning Learn and Earn Apprenticeship program (LEAP). …

Overall, it was a great opportunity to showcase our social mobility and workforce development work.

You can see the full list of community colleges who participated here.