RALEIGH -- Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said she is better prepared to handle the nation's economy than presumed Republican nominee John McCain during a speech Thursday at Wake Technical Community College.

"I wanted to come to a community college in North Carolina as the very first stop in the primary campaign," Clinton said.

It was a stop that the New York senator devoted to the economy. She criticized the McCain for opposing government intervention in the nation's credit and mortgage crisis, adding that the government needs to help displaced workers.

Clinton said the government seems to be more focused right now on how people lose their jobs rather than how people can find new jobs. She also said there's been too little effort to help people get new skills while they have their existing jobs.

If elected, she said she plans to spend $2.5 billion a year on new workforce training programs. It's a program she says will make job retraining available to everyone, even people who are employed.

"There's been too little thought and effort to help people gain new skills while they still have their existing jobs so they can move up or move on to higher wage positions," Clinton said.

She added that she thinks Pell Grants should be extended to workers enrolled in education programs designed to upgrade their skills.

In addition to the millions of normal jobs available in the country, Clinton said she would like to see new jobs that will benefit the environment.

"You've heard of white-collar jobs and blue-collar jobs, well how about creating tens of thousands of 'green-collar' jobs right here in North Carolina?" she asked.

North Carolina voter Lauren Forbes, a student at N.C. State, says that's something that interests her.

"I think Hillary has a lot of good ideas for the future. As an environmental science major, I'm really interested in her energy policy as well as her green-collar jobs," Forbes said.

Raleigh marked the first stop in a three-stop tour of the Tar Heel State for Clinton. She also spoke about the economy in Fayetteville Thursday afternoon at Terry Sanford High School, and she is set to speak at 5:30 p.m. in Winston-Salem at Forsyth Technical Community College.

North Carolina is becoming an increasing important state for Democratic hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Both are starting to make a number of speeches across the state, and the Clinton family isn't done yet.

Former president Bill Clinton will make a half-dozen stops across the state Friday, and daughter Chelsea Clinton will speak at a meeting of the Young Democrats on Saturday in Raleigh.

North Carolina's primary is May 6.

Stay tuned to News 14 Carolina and news14.com for LIVE coverage of the senator’s speeches all day Thursday.

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