Community Stories

When Michael retired after decades working in the masonry trade, he did not expect that one of his next chapters would involve going back to school to learn about computers. But after losing his position at the airport and finding himself needing to navigate technology more often, Michael realized there was still plenty he wanted to learn.

Michael grew up in Pittsburgh and spent 22 years working at the airport in the masonry trade. He was a member of the Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Union, and his position was eventually eliminated after a new airport was built and the amount of work he normally performed was reduced. The layoff came at a difficult point in Michael’s life. He was trying to understand what came next while navigating unemployment, health appointments, Parkinson’s disease, and depression that became particularly difficult following the loss of his job.

While at CareerLink seeking information about unemployment, Michael began talking about some of the difficulties he was having with a computer. Sarah, a digital skills instructor at Literacy Pittsburgh®, overheard the conversation and told him about the organization’s free computer classes.

For Michael, the timing mattered. He needed to understand how to access information and manage tasks related to unemployment, but technology was not always easy to navigate. At the same time, he was learning how to manage appointments and information related to his health while adjusting to the emotional effects of losing a job he had held for years. Having someone he could ask when he did not understand something gave him a place to start.

Michael already had some experience with computers, but the classes showed him how much more there was to learn.

“I’m finding that I can expand on what I know.”

He started with the basics, learning things he had never known how to do before. Rather than trying to learn everything at once, Michael approached technology one question at a time. Before long, he was coming to class with a handwritten list of questions, everything from how to copy and paste to how to save websites and what to do when a computer froze.

The questions were practical, but they also reflected the things Michael needed and wanted to do in his everyday life. He wanted to learn how to make weather maps move so he could better tell whether a storm was coming. He wanted to improve his writing skills, understand which Microsoft browser he should use, enlarge emails, save articles, and keep an email open while checking another website for information. Each question gave him another opportunity to practice a skill that could make something in his daily life a little easier.

He also had questions about online safety. Sarah taught him about scams and cookies and helped him better understand computer security. When Michael received an email about McAfee security software, she helped him understand what he actually needed rather than simply adding another program to his computer. Learning how to question unfamiliar messages and understand what he was seeing online became part of his broader digital education.

And his learning did not stop with the computer. When Michael recently got an iPhone, Sarah helped him learn how to use it, including checking email, sending multiple pictures, managing contacts, using Google Translate, and adjusting settings he encountered while driving.

When a question could not be answered during class, Michael took advantage of Literacy Pittsburgh’s open lab. Whenever it was offered, he went back for more help.

“I kept going. If I had questions and she told me to come to the open lab, then I kept going.”

That willingness to keep asking questions has helped Michael become more independent with technology. Instead of immediately needing someone else to solve a problem, he has learned how to look for information, try different approaches, and return to a trusted source when he gets stuck.

That independence is particularly meaningful as Michael navigates changes in his health and his life after employment. Parkinson’s has introduced its own challenges, and depression has made some periods after his layoff especially difficult. During those times, even routine responsibilities can feel harder to manage. Being able to access information, keep track of appointments, communicate with others, and stay connected to the systems that support him gives Michael another way to maintain control over parts of his life that might otherwise feel overwhelming.

His digital skills have also helped him keep up with his benefits and the information he needs to manage them. After seeking help with unemployment at CareerLink, he became more comfortable using technology to find information and stay on top of communications. As more services and benefits rely on online accounts, email, portals, and digital forms, knowing how to navigate those systems can make the difference between being able to manage a task independently and having to rely on someone else to do it.

A hobby that became a source of connection and purpose

Technology has also helped Michael pursue one of his favorite hobbies: plastic modeling.

Michael builds tanks and armored vehicles, paints figures, and searches the internet for tutorials to improve his techniques. He uses the internet to research hobby stores and find the supplies he needs, sometimes purchasing them online. He first enjoyed the hobby as a child and returned to it after retiring. Today, he is a member of plastic modeling organizations and online communities where he can connect with other people who share his interests.

For Michael, modeling is more than a way to pass the time. It gives him something to focus on, work toward, and feel good about completing. During periods when depression makes it difficult to stay motivated or engaged, having a project waiting for him can give his day some structure and give him a reason to sit down and work on something.

The hobby also gives Michael a way to remain connected to an interest that has followed him through different stages of his life. Through digital communities, he can see what other modelers are building, learn new techniques, exchange ideas, and stay involved even when he is not physically in a hobby shop or at a modeling event. Technology has made that community more accessible while giving him new ways to develop a skill he already enjoys.

The connection between technology and modeling is also an example of what changed for Michael after his computer classes. Before, finding information about a particular technique or product might have required asking someone else or figuring out where to look. Now, he can search for a tutorial, watch a video, compare products, communicate with other modelers, and find the supplies he needs. The computer is no longer simply something he has to figure out; it has become a tool he can use to pursue something meaningful to him.

Technology has become part of other important areas of his life, too. Michael uses email to receive appointment information and other healthcare communications, helping him stay organized and informed. Being able to access those messages himself means he can keep track of information that affects his day-to-day life rather than depending entirely on someone else to retrieve it for him.

And the skills he has learned are not limited to Michael. He has also started sharing what he learns with his wife, helping her navigate new technology even though, as Michael puts it, new things can take time to grasp. The person who once came to class with a handwritten list of questions is now sometimes in the position of helping someone else find an answer.

For Michael, perhaps one of the most important benefits of the classes has been having someone he can turn to when technology gets confusing. He describes Sarah as “a godsend” and says she is like “the person I never had, help me, but I always wanted.” Over time, their relationship has grown into a friendship.

That relationship illustrates something that can be easy to overlook when talking about digital skills. Learning technology is not always an independent process. Sometimes, independence comes from knowing that there is a trusted person who can help you understand something, answer a question, or point you in the right direction. Once Michael had that support, he became more willing to keep trying instead of giving up when something was unfamiliar.

Michael’s experience is a reminder that digital skills are not only about learning how to operate a computer. They can help people stay connected to family and friends, manage important information, navigate healthcare, keep up with benefits, pursue hobbies, and take greater responsibility for the things they need to accomplish every day.

They can also help people maintain independence during periods of major transition—from employment to retirement, from relying on others for help with technology to solving problems independently, and from struggling to fill the day to finding meaningful ways to stay engaged.

For Michael, learning technology has been less about reaching a point where he knows everything and more about becoming comfortable with the process of figuring things out. He still has questions, but he has learned that having a question does not mean he cannot find the answer.

When asked what he would tell people who make decisions about investing in digital skills programs, Michael’s answer was simple.

“Wholeheartedly. I think programs like this are very beneficial. I really believe in them. They help people learn things, improve themselves, and make their own lives better.”

At 62, Michael is still learning. He still has questions. In fact, he keeps a list of them.

And that is exactly the point. Digital literacy is not about reaching a point where you know everything. It is about having the confidence, resources, and support to keep learning—and knowing where to turn when you do not know the answer.

For Michael, sometimes the next step is as simple as writing down the question and bringing it to class.

Then he keeps going.

Note: This story has been anonymized to protect the individual’s privacy. His name and identifying details have been changed or omitted.