ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (WNCN) — President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden on Friday plan to visit Nash County to speak about the importance of workforce training and career development programs.

Although it’s unclear yet where in Rocky Mount the president will speak, those working to improve Rocky Mount’s workforce said they welcome the attention the president’s visit brings to the city.

“I mean, politics aside, I think this is something great for the community. Giving people a spotlight. For Rocky Mount,” said Delwin Clark, owner of BoxHause Gym. “We’ve just been blessed to work hard and here we are.”

Clark knows firsthand the power of workforce programs.

During the pandemic, he went back to school at Nash Community College, to help kickstart his dream of owning a kickboxing gym. His client base bloomed from three to more than 120 in a year.

Clark said he’s just one example of the opportunity for entrepreneurs in Nash County.

“I truly believe that what we’re doing here in our community is just a culmination of everything that you work hard for,” Clark said.

Up the Road in Rocky Mount is the Opportunities Industrialization Center, or OIC.

The historic site is now a home for workforce training programs for underprivileged communities, providing everything from GED to entry-level healthcare career classes.

“And so this is the place where you come. If you want to get retool, get back into the workforce, if you want to come and learn a trade,” said City Councilman and OIC Board Chair Andre Knight.

Knight said he’s proud Rocky Mount is a stop on President Biden’s agenda, especially with the focus on career development in the area.

“So we’re just excited to hear what he has to say to us and encourage us to make America better,” Knight said.