December Digital Skills Calendar

Please check out our virtual classes and in-person offerings at Literacy Pittsburgh Downtown, PA CareerLink® Downtown, and PA CareerLink® Allegheny East. We’re also hosting Digital Skills Orientation, Intro to Zoom, and Google Career Certificate Info Sessions to help new students get started with classes.               

Please note the updated Open Lab listing! 

Open Lab Schedule (except as noted):

• Mondays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (Literacy Pittsburgh; no Open Lab on Dec. 22 and 29)
• Mondays and Wednesdays: 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm (PA CareerLink® Downtown; no Open Lab on Dec. 22, 24, 29, and 31)
• Tuesdays and Thursdays: 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Literacy Pittsburgh; no Open Lab on Dec. 23, 25, and 30) 

We hope we have some classes that interest you! As always, please email us at DigitalPGH@LiteracyPittsburgh.org and please specify which class(es) and dates you are interested in.

Literacy Pittsburgh will be closed Thursday, December 25, 2025, through January 1, 2026. 

There will be no Open Labs or computer skills classes starting Monday, December 22. They resume on Monday, January 5, 2026.

Wishing you a merry winter break! 

Give Big, Pittsburgh!

Mark your calendar for “Give Big, Pittsburgh!” – Pittsburgh’s annual charitable donation event on December 2. Literacy Pittsburgh will be participating in this exciting fundraiser once again. You can make the holidays extra special for your fellow students and provide them with the tools they need to achieve their goals.

On December 2, just visit givebigpittsburgh.com and make a donation to Literacy Pittsburgh (or to any of the other great nonprofit organizations that are participating). The event will last for 24 hours only!

Here is what you can do:

• Make a donation at our Give Big Pittsburgh profile page on December 2 between 12:00 am and 11:59 pm. Any amount will make an impact!
• Spread the word! Text a friend, forward this email, or post on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #GiveBigPittsburgh. Or you can just tell someone in person – that works, too!

Double the impact of your gift! Thanks to a generous matching gift from a local family foundation, all gifts to Literacy Pittsburgh made on Tuesday, December 2 (or anytime in November or December) will be matched at 100%. A gift of $10 becomes $20, $25 becomes $50 and $100 becomes $200.

Please tell your friends and family about the important work we do and ask them to join you in making a difference.

Service Coordination Events

 Service Coordination Office Hours
📍Monday, December 1 & Tuesday, December 2, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Literacy Pittsburgh's Downtown Center 
Students will meet with service coordinators to register for utilities assistance (LIHEAP, CAP, Dollar Energy Fund, etc.) by appointment. Eligibility requirements and a Calendly link will be provided during registration. If you would like to attend virtually, please sign up here.

English Listening: What to Do in December in Pittsburgh
📍Friday, December 19, 1:00 - 2:00 pm
Online on Zoom                                                                                                  ELL students on the waitlist or any student who wants to practice listening skills can meet with service coordinators to talk about Pittsburgh and upcoming events in the area. If you would like to attend, please sign up here, and the Zoom link will be emailed to you on the morning of the event.

Career Services Classes and Workshops

Upcoming Workshops and Events 

Upwardly Global Open Lab
📍Every Tuesday, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Literacy Pittsburgh's Downtown Center   
Literacy Pittsburgh career advisors and digital skills staff have collaborated to offer a space for interested students to study their Upwardly Global lessons. Use on-site computers and get assistance with any technical or instructional barriers during this weekly practice space. Questions? Email Dru at dpelter@literacypittsburgh.org.

Career Service Drop-In Hours
📍Times and dates can be found here. 
Literacy Pittsburgh's Downtown Center   
Drop-in hours are a time for individual career advising services and no appointment is required. Please ask for the career advisor at the front desk when you arrive. Services offered during drop-in hours may include:

• Upwardly Global registration
• Resume consultations
• Interview preparation
• Cover letter writing
• Assistance with job or school applications
• General advisement on goals and career exploration

Some services may not be appropriate if more than one student is in attendance. Translation is only available through Google Translate; however, we will do our best to assist in all cases. This service is not job placement. Students will apply for jobs with the guidance of advisors. Career advisors do not apply on behalf of students. If a student requires job placement services, contact information for staffing agencies can be provided.

CCAC Information Session
📍Thursday, December 11, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Online on Zoom

The CCAC Information Session is designed to help students who are interested in continuing their education to learn more about the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) and its programs. The one-time session will be held Thursday December 11, from 12:00-2:00 pm over zoom. Registration will remain open until Wednesday December 10.
Please note: all content will be in English. Direct any questions to Noelle Dreizin at ndreizin@literacypittsburgh.org
Interested? Register here.

CareerLink Representative @ DTC
📍Thursday, December 18
Literacy Pittsburgh's Downtown Center   

PA CareerLink is an organization dedicated to helping Pennsylvanians get jobs and build job skills. The PA CareerLink representative can meet with students 1:1, answer questions, present workshops, and more. To schedule a 1:1 session with the CareerLink Advisor, email dpelter@literacypittsburgh.org. 
Learn more about PA CareerLink: https://www.pacareerlink.pa.gov/jponline/

Rosedale Technical College & New Century Careers Lunch & Learn
📍Thursday, January 22, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Online on Zoom
The Rosedale Technical College & New Century Careers Lunch & Learn is for students who are interested in learning about education programs at Rosedale Technical College and New Century Careers. These programs are for people interested in a career in the automotive, transportation, construction, skilled trades, manufacturing, or production industries. Please note: all content will be in English. Direct any questions to Noelle Dreizin at ndreizin@literacypittsburgh.org. Interested? Register here. Registration will remain open until Wednesday, January 21. 

Career Pathways Classes Literacy Pittsburgh January 2026

Please take a look at our Career Pathways calendar for January! We will offer Accounting Essentials, Microsoft Office Specialist Excel (Associate Level), Customer Service, and English for Job Seekers. 

To sign up, contact Vince at vdestefano@literacypittsburgh.org or call 412-350-9920. Register by Dec 11  

Accounting Essentials

📍January 6 to March 26, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Prepare for the Intuit Certified Bookkeeping Professional certification. No bookkeeping experience require. Skills Covered include, Accounting Basics, Accounting for assets and sales transactions, Accounting for liabilities, equity, and purchase transactions, and Reconciliation and financial statements. This is a 12 week intensive class offered in-person at Literacy Pittsburgh downtown.

Microsoft Office Specialist Excel Associate

📍 January 6 to March 26, Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Microsoft Office Specialist certification can give you the skills and confidence to succeed in the workforce. Gain in-depth knowledge of Excel to prepare for MOS 365 Excel Associate certifications. This is a 12-week intensive class offered in-person at Literacy Pittsburgh downtown.

Customer Service

📍 January 13 to March 26, Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Prepare for a career in customer service and administrative roles. Hone your softskills and earn certification in Customer Service skills through PA Women Work and IBM SkillBuild. Boost Microsoft Office skills in Outlook, Teams, Word, and Excel. Develop SMART goals, explore career pathways, practice networking and interviewing skills. Class is in-person at Literacy Pittsburgh downtown.

English for Job-Seekers

📍 January 13 - March 5, Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm              
Practice English needed for job-seeking including interview English, American work culture, job industries and job titles, searching for jobs, pronunciation and more with a focus on job-seeking at UPMC. You will hear from guest speakers from the UPMC Pathways to Work programs. This Virtual class meets on Zoom.        

December Community Events

Pittsburgh’s Biggest Holiday Shopping Event Celebrates 21 Years in 2025!

📍Friday, December 5, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm sensory-friendly shopping; 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm preview party

📍Saturday, December 6, 9:00 am – 11:00 am; early bird shopping,11:00 am – 6:00 pm, general shopping
David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh

What to Expect: Shopping, hands-on handmade arcade activities & live art demos, raffle baskets with maker-donated goods, a personal shopper booth, a live DJ, a gift wrapping station, food & drink available for purchase, and more! For more information, visit this link.

Latin American Cultural Center Holiday Open House

📍Sunday, December 7, All Day
Latin American Cultural Center (LACC)
4338 Bigelow Boulevard Pittsburgh, PA 15123

Free and open to all ages! Join us for a festive afternoon at the Latin American Cultural Center! Our annual Holiday Open House is free and open to the public. Explore the museum, enjoy hot chocolate, and take photos by our holiday tree.

The Angel Tree Program

The Angel Tree program provided gifts for more than one million children last Christmas. If you are at risk of not being able to provide presents for your children this holiday season, please reach out to your local Salvation Army.

Student Success Stories

Congratulations to the following students!

Share your success story with us! You can help inspire others who are overcoming barriers and working toward their goals. Email it to Najlaa at nebrahim@literacypittsburgh.org

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” 
– C.S. Lewis

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” 
– Nelson Mandela