On one of her first few days on the job, Virginia’s new Education Secretary-designate Aimee Guidera made a point of visiting with the VCCS State Board on Thursday, telling the panel she looks forward to working with Virginia’s Community Colleges to prepare Virginians for the 21st century workforce. 
“I’m passionate about the power of information to change lives,” said Guidera, who is considered a national expert on the use of data to shape education policy. “My goal is to use data not as a hammer, but as a flashlight to ensure that we’re serving every single learner in the Commonwealth,” she added.
Craig Herndon, VCCS senior vice chancellor for administration, finance and technology, said he was excited by Guidera’s appointment “because of your strong relationship with data. And I know Virginia’s Community Colleges are equally passionate about the use of data in our decision-making.”
Guidera also said she recognizes the increasing role that community colleges play in educating adult learners. “Learners are not all 18-to-22 years old. People need to be able to train for new skills across a lifetime. And again, that’s what you have done so well in community colleges, meeting people where they are and helping people and investing in people, being nimble, flexible and responsive. And just to be blunt, that needs to be the model for the entire education system.”
Guidera added, “and I also think we’re having this dawning realization finally, that you don’t need to go to a four-year school to be successful in life and prepared for life. And we have a whole lot of people pouring coffee right now with a lot of debt that wish that that had been the conversation that someone had with them earlier.”
Guidera said she looks forward to visiting VCCS college campuses in the coming months to see firsthand the work being they’re doing across the commonwealth.
