Ivanka Trump, Fortune 100 CEOs visit Charlotte to talk U.S. manufacturing

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump visited North Carolina on Tuesday, touting the state's economic vibrancy and promoting American companies to create more jobs through internships and apprenticeships.

Trump, the eldest daughter of President Donald Trump, made the trip alongside U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.

The major event that brought them them to town was a meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, a federal commission whose self-described mission is to help the federal government "encourage the private sector and educational institutions to combat the skills crisis by investing in and increasing demand-driven education, training, and re-training for American workers."

Along with Advisor Trump and Secretary Ross, members of the board include Apple CEO Tim Cook, senior executives from IBM, Home Depot and Visa, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, the governors of Indiana and Iowa, and others.

"Our collective aim is to ensure that all Americans can benefit from the nation's historic economic boom and record low unemployment rates," Trump declared at the commission's first meeting in March. "We must also focus on helping those most vulnerable to having their jobs displaced due to the rapid pace of technological change, and work together to assist them in learning a new skill so they can continue to provide for themselves and for their families."

Tuesday's itinerary began at Siemens Energy Hub, a large campus southeast of Charlotte that's home to plants manufacturing steam turbines, gas turbines, generators, and other equipment used by energy producers across the country.

Siemens, a German conglomerate, opened a standalone apprenticeship program in 2014 that recruits from local high schools and community colleges.