Growing Inland Achievement featured as a regional leader aligning AI, education, and equity
October – Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) is featured in a new national initiative from Jobs for the Future (JFF), Reimagining Postsecondary Success in the Age of AI, which explores how artificial intelligence is transforming education and work—and how regions like the Inland Empire are leading the way.
Supported by the College Futures Foundation, the project profiles innovative efforts underway in California’s Inland Empire and Central Valley. These efforts center on using AI to expand educational opportunity, close equity gaps, and prepare learners for the jobs of the future. GIA’s work is highlighted as a model of how regional collaboration can guide equitable adoption of new technologies across postsecondary systems.
“In the Inland Empire, we’re not just adapting to change, we’re helping shape what AI means for education and workforce alignment,” said Dr. Ashish Vaidya, President and CEO of GIA. “Our focus is ensuring that every student—no matter their background—has access to pathways that lead to good jobs and upward mobility.”
The JFF report includes stories from educators, students, and employers across the Inland Empire who are creating inclusive, community-centered AI solutions. Through its role as a regional organization, GIA helps connect those efforts by aligning partners, sharing data-driven insights, and supporting institutional transformation across the cradle-to-career continuum.
This work builds on GIA’s broader mission to increase postsecondary attainment and economic opportunity in the region, where only 32% of working-age adults (ages 25–64) currently hold a degree or credential of value. AI presents both promise and risk—and GIA is working to ensure regional systems adopt new tools in ways that are ethical, student-centered, and equity-focused.
“AI is already reshaping industries across our region, from logistics and manufacturing to education and healthcare,” said Dr. Vaidya. “The question isn’t whether these changes will happen, but how we prepare Inland Empire students and workers to adapt, reskill, and grow. This is about building a regional culture of lifelong learning.”
To listen to Dr. Ashish Vaidya’s full perspective on how AI is reshaping learning, teaching, and career pathways, visit: https://youtu.be/o_K-P0outnY?si=Z1NfQZjMl-s8Lt24
Explore the full JFF resource here:
https://www.jff.org/idea/reimagining-postsecondary-success-in-the-age-of-ai/
