VP Harris Visits GTCC, Touts Jobs Plan

Staff Reports

Vice President Kamala Harris visited Guilford Technical Community College's Center for Advanced Manufacturing on April 19 to meet with select students and college officials and promote President Joe Biden's American Jobs Plan.

A proposed infrastructure package, the American Jobs Plan is, according to the White House, "an investment in America that will create millions of good jobs [and] rebuild our country’s infrastructure." Congressional Republicans have criticized the proposal's scope, its $2 trillion-plus price tag, and a corporate tax increase to fund it.

During her visit, Harris said that the plan would combat unemployment by funding opportunities for training and education that allow access to "good jobs" for every worker. "For some, that’s a training program or an apprenticeship to get the certificate they need to get the job they want," she said. "For some, that’s a technical college, just like this one. And for others, it’s a four-year college degree. There isn’t only one path to success."

The plan emphasizes Biden's support for community college partnerships that provide training for in-demand jobs and calls for Congress to invest $12 billion in community college facilities and technology. It also includes support for increased broadband Internet access, which Harris says will benefit "students who can’t study at home, who have to drive to the local McDonald’s to the parking lot to get access to their WI-FI."

Vanessa Keshguerian, a computer integrated machining student who introduced Harris, credited college infrastructure and resources with preparing her to enter her field. "I have learned so much and benefitted from the technology available here to me as a student and from the supportive and knowledgable instructors in my program," she said.

In a statement, Anthony Clarke, GTCC president, said Harris's visit reflects "the amazing results that our faculty, staff, and students, past and present, deliver every day."

By Mojahid Aabdelsalam

Contributor

Name: Mojahid Aabdelsalam

Age: 30

Country in focus: Sudan

Major: Associate in Engineering

Hello, everyone. My name is Mojahid Abdelsalam I’m from Sudan in the heart of Africa. I moved to the United States at the end of 2016 through a program called the Diversity Visa Lottery. It is a United States government lottery program for receiving a Permanent Resident Card. The time took me from I have been randomly selected for the DV Lottery program to come here is almost two years.

I have a Diploma in Installation of Water Yards And Networks Engineering from Sudan University of Science & Technology back home. When I moved here, I had to start from scratch because of the differences in languages. We speak Arabic in Sudan. Now I'm in the Associate Engineering program, and my plan is to transfer to A&T to get a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.

Sudan is the second-largest country in Africa, and it was the homeland of many ancient civilizations, such as the Kingdom of Kush, Kerma, Nobatia, Meroë, and many others. It is multicultural because it is a large country and it has so many tribes. One of the traditional clothes of Sudan is called “Jalabiya” It is the main garment, beloved by the locals, and is very comfortable because it's very loose and roomy. There are different cultural foods in my country. For example, the people in the north of Sudan depend on wheat in their food. The people of the west of Sudan eat “Aside” which is made with kinds of corn flour, and the people in the middle of Sudan eat “Kisra,” which is also made from corn flour, and bread. The people in the east of the Sudan depend on the meat and milk, and they drink a lot of coffee.

There are three seasons in Sudan. During summer, it is hot and sunny, and sometimes the temperature exceeds 115 degrees Fahrenheit. In the fall, it is rainy and hot. It continues three to four months, but in other parts, it continues to six months. The third season is winter, which is cold and dry. In the east of Sudan the rain comes in this season. Sudan is an agricultural country, and it was known as the food basket of the world due to the large agricultural areas in it and the availability of water. The Nile River, which crosses the middle of the country from south to north, is a major source of water with large quantities of underground water. Sudan is also the largest producer and exporter of Gum Arabic in the world, which is used in medicines manufacturing, sweets, and many other industries. Sudan also has the Dindir national park. It is one of the largest natural reserves in the world and it is a beautiful place. There are many animals, lions, elephants, African tigers, many different deers, and birds. There are more than 220 pyramids in the desert of northern Sudan which it built by Nubian kingdoms. The pyramids in northern Sudan are among the most important historical monuments dating back to the era of the black pharaohs who ruled the Nile Valley.

Sudan is a beautiful country in Africa. The people are friendly and offer good hospitality. I invite everybody to come and visit Sudan.

To become a well-rounded individual, I believe traveling is a must! In our new virtual world, the best way to do so is to join the International Student Association, run by their capable President Bryce Scott! For more information please email brscott1@gtcc.edu