KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
Vice President Joe Biden and his wife made a stop in Kansas City on Monday.
The Second Lady of the United States, Jill Biden, is pushing the importance of community colleges to grow the economy. She said the community college student is no longer just a recent high school graduate.
"I've seen people in their 40s and 50s who have been out of work so long, they've nearly given up," Jill Biden said. "Now they're finally getting their second chance."
Jill Biden, who has been a community college professor in Virginia for 18 years, spoke at Metropolitan Community College Health Sciences Center. She joked that she was grading papers while on Air Force Two en route to Kansas City.
The Vice President's wife is touring community colleges across the country to talk about workforce partnerships between colleges and businesses. She also stressed the importance of hands-on experience while attending college.
She toured MCC's virtual hospital, a learning hospital with hands-on experiences for those in the health sciences field.
Vice President Joe Biden is also in Kansas City on Monday for a private fundraiser, a luncheon at a private home.
The couple left Kansas City about 3 p.m., leading to some temporary shutdown of highways.
Kevin McCubbin spoke about his transformation from pizza manager and delivery man to radiology student. He said it's about reinventing yourself and changing your day-to-day routine.
"That's stepping outside your comfort zone," he said.
Missouri received $20 million, one of the largest federal grants, to train community college students in health sciences. The Full Employment Council is working to train students and fill the thousands of unfilled jobs.
Training and certification is required, but the state has more than 800 scholarships available.
"Not only can community college save lives, they can change America," Jill Biden said.
Click here for more information on the MCC program.
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