Technology

Digital Literacy Programs Alter Daily Tasks for Central Coast Residents

Training sessions and free tools now help locals handle banking apps, job searches and video calls without outside help.

By Central Coast Tech Desk · Published 20 July 2026

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This article was written by AI from the linked sources and was not reviewed by a journalist before publishing. The Daily Central Coast is part of The Daily Network and follows our reasonable editorial care.

Digital Literacy Programs Alter Daily Tasks for Central Coast Residents — Photo by Gilberto Olimpio on Pexels

Central Coast residents have enrolled in more than 4,200 digital literacy courses since January 2026, shifting how they pay bills, apply for work and stay in touch with family.

The increase follows expanded city funding for basic tech training and coincides with new household features from major platforms that require users to manage settings themselves. Residents who once relied on relatives or library staff for simple tasks now complete them on phones or laptops after short workshops.

Neighborhood workshops reach more users

Classes run weekly at the Central Coast Public Library branch on Ocean Avenue and at the Innovation Center on Tech Park Way in the Waterfront District. The Tech Forward program run by the Central Coast Tech Alliance supplies the curriculum, which covers password managers, video-call privacy settings and mobile banking security. Sessions last 90 minutes and cost nothing for city residents.

One participant on Hilltop Commons now logs into her bank app without assistance after three classes. Another resident in the same neighborhood used the same training to file an unemployment claim online in under 20 minutes.

Participation numbers and next steps

City records show a 40 percent rise in first-time attendees compared with the same period in 2025. Courses run through the end of July at both locations, with registration handled through the library website. Residents can check the Central Coast Tech Alliance calendar for openings or drop by the Ocean Avenue branch on Tuesdays between 10 a.m. and noon to sign up on site.

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