Oakland Literacy Council is seeking a part-time accounting and operations manager for our nonprofit. This employee is responsible for all bookkeeping and finance, human resources, and grant management duties related to the functioning of the office and supporting the Board of Directors. Click here to view the job description.
RFP for Audit Released
Oakland Literacy Council is requesting proposals from Certified Public Accounting Firms to conduct independent financial audits and provide tax services for our nonprofit for a five-year period. Please click here to view the full RFP.
Adults Can Earn Digital Literacy Certificates
Oakland Literacy Council now offers adults a free, self-paced online learning platform to improve their digital literacy skills and earn valuable certificates that they can list on job applications to demonstrate their technical knowledge.
Adults can learn to use popular software like Microsoft’s Word, Excel, or PowerPoint products, as well as the basics of running a computer, searching for a job online, or using telehealth. Quick assessments will tell adults what they already know and serve up easy-to-follow lessons to fill in missing gaps. When adults have mastered an area, they can take a proctored exam to earn a certificate.
This no-cost program is available to adults who live, work, or go to school in Oakland County. Interested adults should call 248-253-1617 or click here to apply.
English and Training for Manufacturing Careers
Looking to improve your English and start a great career in manufacturing?
We’ve got an exciting free program just for you!
Oakland Literacy Council is partnering with Oakland Community College and Oakland County MiWorks to bring you:
✅ English for the workplace
✅ Soft skills like teamwork & communication
✅ Training in manufacturing processes & technology
✅ An industry-recognized credential to help you land a job
💡 Details:
📚 Classes: 3 days/week for 14 weeks
🚗 Childcare & transportation assistance available
💼 Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
📅 Interested? Click to view slides from an information session or call 248-253-1617. Arabic and Spanish-speaking staff available.
Now Hiring Development Manager
Join Our Team
The Oakland Literacy Council is looking to expand our team! Our vibrant office is in downtown Pontiac and serves nearly 300 adult learners and tutors annually. We are looking for a part-time development manager to support our mission through fundraising. Check out the job description.
Oakland Literacy Council Celebrates 40th Anniversary
Oakland Literacy Council wrapped up its 40th anniversary with record-setting attendance and revenue last Thursday at its annual Ex Libris fundraising dinner, where bestselling author Angie Kim told the crowd that she’s proof that it is never too late for adults to change their trajectory and pursue their dreams.
NYT Bestselling author Angie Kim was the keynote speaker of Oakland Literacy’s annual Ex Libris fundraising dinner held November 14th at the Village Club in Bloomfield Hills
“We are incredibly grateful for our supporters of adult literacy,” said Lisa Machesky, Executive Director of Oakland Literacy Council. “Their generosity supports our mission of delivering one-on-one tutoring to adult learners that is flexible and customizable to their needs in reading, math, GED preparation, English-as-a-Second-Language, and digital literacy.”
Tutor Ann Manning (left) and adult learner Enam Mirzad (right) shared their story of learning English and preparing for the GED after he fled Afghanistan in 2021.
The crowd heard from one of those learners, Enam Mirzad, 29, who fled Afghanistan in the fall of 2021 during a U.S. military evacuation that happened so quickly Enam did not have time to bring documentation of his education. “Everything here was so hard because I didn’t know English…and I’m shy,” Enam said. With help from his tutor, Ann Manning, Enam learned to speak English, completed a tech support class with Google, and is now preparing for his high-school equivalency exam, so he can study information technology in college.
The keynote speaker, author Angie Kim, shared her own experience as a preteen immigrant from South Korea who didn’t know a word of English. She warned against the danger of assuming someone lacks intelligence because they cannot speak, a danger she wove into her latest novel, Happiness Falls, whose main character is nonverbal. Kim also noted that after earning a law degree from Harvard, she turned away from practicing law to pursue her passion for writing. Today, her novels have been translated into many languages.
Oakland Literacy Council also celebrated the dedication of Robert Gaylor, who founded the Council 40 years ago, and recognized the transformative leadership of outgoing Executive Director, Lisa Machesky. Oakland Literacy would also like to thank the sponsors who made such a magical evening happen.
Oakland Literacy Council (OLC) is pleased to announce Laurie Weeks has been named Executive Director, effective January 2025.
PONTIAC, Michigan – Oakland Literacy Council (OLC) is pleased to announce Laurie Weeks has been named Executive Director, effective January 2025.
Weeks, a Rochester Hills resident, most recently served as OLC Program Director. Lisa Machesky, executive director since 2015, has decided to explore other opportunities.
“Laurie Weeks brings strong leadership skills and a passionate commitment to our learners, tutors, and the larger community,” said Paula Brown, Oakland Literacy Council Chair. “She has been instrumental in expanding our program work and providing exceptional support and training for our 200+ volunteer tutors. We are confident Laurie is the right leader to carry on our legacy of empowering adult learners in building life-changing literacy skills.”
Weeks first came to Oakland Literacy Council in 2015 as a volunteer tutor and joined the staff in 2018. She has served in key roles including development and communications, tutor recruiting and support, and her present role as program director. Prior to OLC, Laurie was a journalist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Dow Jones News Service. She also taught composition and served as a writing and ESL tutor at Oakland Community College. Laurie holds a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Spalding University and a BA in English from the University of Michigan.
“I’m grateful to have served under Lisa’s leadership for the last six years in work that I have found incredibly purposeful and meaningful,” said Weeks. “Our mission to provide adult learning opportunities transforms the lives of our students and volunteers alike and strengthens our communities. I’m honored that the board of directors has confidence in my ability to lead this organization into the future, and I invite others to join us in this inspiring mission.”
Weeks succeeds Machesky, who has guided the organization through significant growth, with a focus on serving Oakland County adults with the greatest literacy needs. During Machesky’s tenure, adult learning programs expanded from basic reading and English language learning (ESL) to include math, GED, digital literacy, and workforce training. In 2023, the OLC office was relocated to downtown Pontiac to make literacy services more accessible. Machesky also integrated powerful technology solutions into the organization, which earned OLC the 2022 Innovator Award from the Michigan Adult, Community & Alternative Education Association.
“We are grateful to Lisa for everything she has done for OLC and for the community,” said Brown. “She has expanded our programs by expanding our understanding of the many meanings of literacy. Lisa has served as an inspirational and innovative leader for staff, volunteers, learners, and the board of directors to assure the quality and impact of our work. We wish her well in her new ventures.”
To support a successful leadership transition, Machesky and Weeks will continue to serve in their current roles through the end of 2024.
“As I step away, I find myself reflective and grateful for all that we — amazing tutors, learners, staff, donors, and community partners — have accomplished together over the past nine years,” said Machesky. “Innovations in curriculum and tutor training have led to a remarkable 100%+ increase in learner performance, while investment in technology has allowed our tiny but amazing staff, along with dedicated volunteer tutors, to welcome into our community over 1,500 learners who have found new friends, new jobs, new skills, and a new nation.”
Now Hiring Accounting and Operations Manager
Join Our Team
The Oakland Literacy Council is looking to expand our team! Our vibrant office is in downtown Pontiac and serves nearly 300 adult learners and tutors annually.
Are you looking to put your accounting and office management skills to work in a cause you believe in? If so, this role might be right for you: Accounting and Operations Manager
48 Learners Added to National Adult Education Honor Society
Oakland Literacy Council has been designated as a new chapter of the National Adult Education Honor Society and inducted its first 48 learners into the chapter to recognize their extraordinary commitment to improving their skills.
These learners were selected for membership because they logged at least 100 hours of study in the program year that ended June 30, 2024 and because they demonstrated a positive attitude and a strong work ethic. Several learners overcome significant obstacles and hardships on the way to this achievement.
The honor society was founded in 1991 to provide meaningful recognition to deserving adult education students, to improve their employment opportunities, and develop student ambassadors. The new inductees received a lapel pin, a certificate, and letters of recommendation they can include with applications for employment or educational aid.
Student Profile: Rym Khaldi
From Language Learner to Engineering Intern: Oakland Literacy Council Empowers Rym Khaldi's Journey to Success
Rym Khaldi found a jumpstart to her engineering career in the U.S. through Oakland Literacy Council.
Originally from Tunisia in northern Africa, Rym’s first language is Arabic. Her second is French. Her third is English. “I studied English a little bit in Tunisia,” the 33-year-old woman says, “but I didn’t need to use it." All of that changed last summer when she joined her husband in the U.S.
A quality assurance engineer by training, Rym hoped to get a job in her field in the U.S. “It was challenging,” she recalls. “Every recruiter was asking me whether I have experience here in the United States, and this was the reason of being rejected every time...looking for a job was a full-time job.”
Rym turned to Oakland Literacy Council for help. In August, she began weekly English lessons with volunteer tutor Isabelle Zablock. In September, she began a nine-week job preparation workshop for English language learners. Rym credits both experiences with helping her secure a paid, full-time internship with People Tech Group as a QA engineer on contract to General Motors.
“Isabelle helps me a lot to build confidence and my communication skills,” Rym says. “At first, I…I was scared to speak with people. I know sometimes they don’t understand me, and I feel shame to ask them to repeat themselves.”
Isabelle, a prelaw student at Michigan State University, felt a strong connection to Rym because they both have Arabic backgrounds. (Isabelle’s parents immigrated from Iraq.) Isabelle says Rym is a quick learner. “A couple of lessons seemed intimidating in the beginning, and we approached it slowly, but by the end she was cruising through it.”
The job workshop introduced Rym to American hiring culture and helped her polish her resume. The workshop was designed by Sarah DeLadurantey, senior human resources business partner at Amazon anda former tutor. Sarah says, “I was immediately impressed with Rym who helped her classmates by sharing her experience and feedback with them in a highly professional and respectful way.” Other HR professionals volunteered time to coach Rym and the other workshop participants. One of the volunteers, Karen Haneline, says Rym’s “confidence and teamwork coupled with her use of resources around her will set her up for future success.”
Interviewing for a job in the U.S. is “is completely different” than in Tunisia, Rym realized. The workshop prepared her to interview for a six-month internship with People Tech Group. This time, the recruiter hired her. “It was like a dream,” Rym says.
The internship allows Rym to build work experience in the U.S. As part of the internship, Rym tests software updates to the infotainment dashboards that let car riders use maps, listen to music, and more. Rym hopes her internship will lead to a permanent, good-paying job here.
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