Horsham employers urged to book stands for September jobs fair

Horsham employers are being urged to book stands for this year’s Jobs & Skills Fair, as the district prepares to connect local businesses with residents looking for work, training and career opportunities.

The Horsham District Jobs & Skills Fair 2026 is due to take place at The Drill Hall in Horsham on Wednesday 30 September, running from 3.30pm to 7.30pm. The event is designed to bring together employers, training providers and jobseekers in one place, helping local people explore vacancies while giving businesses a direct way to meet potential candidates.

For employers across Horsham, Southwater, Billingshurst, Pulborough, Steyning and surrounding villages, the fair could offer a practical route to finding staff at a time when recruitment remains a challenge for many sectors.

Although online job boards and digital applications now dominate hiring, face-to-face recruitment still has clear advantages. Employers can meet candidates directly, answer questions, explain roles and get a better sense of attitude, communication skills and enthusiasm. For smaller firms, that kind of personal interaction can be especially valuable.

A CV does not always show whether someone is reliable, friendly, adaptable or willing to learn. A conversation at a jobs fair can reveal those qualities more quickly than a form or online profile.

The event could be particularly useful for businesses in sectors where labour demand remains steady, including hospitality, care, retail, construction, logistics, administration, education, leisure, professional services and customer support. Employers looking for apprentices, trainees, part-time workers or career changers may also benefit.

For jobseekers, the fair offers a chance to understand what local employers are really looking for. Residents can ask about pay, hours, training, progression, flexibility and application processes. That can make job hunting feel less uncertain, especially for people who are returning to work or thinking about changing sector.

For employers, attending the fair is also about visibility. A stand at a local jobs event can raise awareness of a business, even among people who may not apply immediately. Candidates may remember the conversation later, recommend the employer to others, or follow up when the right role becomes available.

The timing of the event is useful. By late September, many businesses are planning for the final quarter of the year, Christmas trading, new contracts or staffing needs for the following year. It gives employers a chance to build talent pipelines before recruitment pressures become urgent.

Horsham’s local economy includes a mix of independent businesses, larger employers, rural enterprises, service firms and public-sector organisations. That variety means recruitment needs can differ widely.

Some employers may need highly experienced staff, while others may be looking for people with the right attitude who can be trained on the job.

The fair also has a skills element. It is not only about filling vacancies immediately. Training providers can help residents understand routes into work, apprenticeships and qualifications. This matters because skills gaps are one of the biggest barriers to local growth. Businesses cannot expand confidently if they cannot find people with the right capabilities.

Some employers may also be thinking more broadly about where they find talent. In certain sectors, skills shortages have encouraged firms to look beyond traditional local recruitment. Recruitment agencies can help businesses source candidates from wider markets, particularly when roles are hard to fill. But for many Horsham firms, local recruitment events remain essential because they connect employers with people who already live in, understand and contribute to the community.

Hiring locally brings wider benefits. When residents find work close to home, commuting can be easier, staff retention may improve and more wages are spent in the local economy. That supports shops, cafés, transport providers and other services across the district.

The jobs fair could also help people who may be overlooked by conventional recruitment. Career changers, older workers, parents returning after childcare, people with employment gaps and young people entering the labour market can all benefit from speaking directly to employers. A face-to-face conversation can allow candidates to explain their circumstances and highlight transferable skills.

For employers, this is an opportunity to widen their talent pool.

Businesses that recruit only through narrow criteria may miss good candidates. Someone without direct industry experience may still bring customer service skills, resilience, problem-solving ability or leadership potential.

To get the most from the fair, employers should prepare carefully. A stand should make clear what roles are available, what skills are required and what candidates should do next. Staff attending should be ready to talk openly about workplace culture, training, pay ranges where possible and progression opportunities.

Employers should also think about accessibility. Clear information, welcoming conversations and practical details can make a big difference to candidates who may feel nervous or uncertain. Recruitment is not only about judging applicants; it is also about showing why people should want to work for a business.

For jobseekers, preparation matters too. Bringing an up-to-date CV, dressing appropriately and preparing a short introduction can help make conversations more productive. Even those who are unsure what they want may benefit from attending, because the fair can reveal options they had not considered.

The Horsham Jobs & Skills Fair is therefore more than a single recruitment event. It is a chance to strengthen links between local employers, residents and training providers.

For businesses struggling to hire, booking a stand could be a practical step toward finding new staff. For the wider district, it could help more people access work, improve skills and support local economic resilience.

As the September event approaches, Horsham employers are being encouraged to secure their place and use the fair as an opportunity to meet the people who could become their next apprentices, team members, managers or future leaders.