College is a vital investment in the future---not just for individuals, but for the prosperity of the nation as a whole. That was one of President Obama’s key messages to the crowd of 4,000 who gathered early Friday morning to hear him speak at Glick Field House.

“(T)his going to be one of the most important issues that not just you face, but this entire country faces: How can we make sure that everybody is getting the kind of education they need to personally succeed, but also to build up this nation,” Obama said.

Sixty percent of jobs in the next decade will require a higher education. The president said it’s imperative that college and worker training programs are affordable so that the U.S. can thrive in this global economy.

Two sectors he focused on were American manufacturing and renewable energy technology.

“When manufacturing does well, the entire economy does well,” Obama said. “We’ve got to make sure American isn’t just buying stuff, but selling stuff---stuff stamped with the proud words: made in America.”

The nation will need qualified engineers, computer scientists and entrepreneurs to make this happen.

U-M President Mary Sue Coleman and Jack Hu, the J. Reid and Polly Anderson Professor of Manufacturing Technology and an associate dean at Michigan Engineering, are members of Obama’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership working group.

Obama called for American leadership in renewable energy technology development.

“We’ve got to double down on a clean energy future. We’ve got to develop wind and solar and biofuels,” he said. “That’s good for the economy. It creates jobs and it’s also good for our environment.