Education Specialist

About Community Forge

Community Forge is a nonprofit organization that works to be a living example of community reinvestment and economic development that is inclusive and humanizing. We emphasize breaking down silos in the Pittsburgh area by creating connections between members of disinvested communities and those with resources and knowledge to share. Simultaneously, the Forge anchors key community resources that uplift those living in distressed communities in proximity to our building in the heart of Wilkinsburg.

Since opening its doors in 2018, Community Forge has established itself as a home for community servants, violence interrupters, artists, educators, students, entrepreneurs, and innovators from Wilkinsburg and surrounding neighborhoods in Pittsburgh’s East End.

Summary of Role

The Education Specialist is responsible for designing and delivering high-quality instruction to youth and adult learners as part of Community Forge's Boot Up and Economic Mobility programs. This role plays a direct, hands‑on part in equipping learners with educational, technical, and career‑readiness skills that support their long‑term success with a special emphasis on teaching with and about emerging technologies and industries.

Working closely with peers within the department, the Educator adapts curricula to meet the needs of diverse learners, fosters an engaging and supportive classroom environment, and tracks learner progress to ensure learning goals are met.

Principle (Essential) Duties

• Lead technology instruction with groups of: youth in-house at Community Forge, on‑site at schools or other education partners and with adults across the workforce network.
• Maintain fluency with new technologies used for teaching, specifically staying current with software and hardware that is being leveraged by the Boot Up curriculum.
• Deliver lessons in both individual and shared environments
• Manage a programmatic schedule and be punctual, arriving at program locations before programming begins.
• Develop and document novel curriculum, lessons and activities alongside the Curriculum & Instructional Lead.
• Clean and organize educational spaces to make sure equipment and space are ready for programming
• Lead in participant recruitment and enrollment
• Implement and manage daily administrative operational expectations including but not limited to: tracking attendance, documenting learning outcomes, delivering assessments, etc.
• Engage and build relationships with all program participants who are in and around our education spaces, especially youth and adult learners who are in/around Community Forge.
• Mentor and guide youth toward positive and empowering interests, activities, and life outlooks.
• Setting up and maintaining technology devices and equipment related to instruction.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of curriculum design and instructional best practices for diverse learner populations
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts clearly
• Patient, adaptable, and responsive to the needs of individual learners
• Ability to create an inclusive and engaging classroom environment
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to track and report on learner progress
• Technically fluent and comfortable using the instructional tools relevant to developing and deliveringprogram content
• Ability to work on a team, communicating and coordinating with multiple people at once.
• High technical fluency and curiosity, with strong working knowledge of the Apple ecosystem (macOS, iOS, iPadOS) and associated hardware and software. Avid learner of technology and willingness to learn about new technologies and tools.
• Ability to troubleshoot common technical issues and support learners in navigating Apple devices and applications

Experience/Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical field preferred
• 2+ years of relevant teaching or training experience with youth and/or adults
• Teaching certification or credentials in relevant subject areas preferred
• Experience in workforce development or adult education settings
• Industry certifications in relevant technical areas (e.g., CompTIA, Adobe, Autodesk, programming languages)