West Side Workforce Fair Coming to Austin June 27

A free workforce development fair is coming to Austin on June 27, giving West Side residents direct access to employers, resume coaches, and job training organizations in a single day-long event.

The fair, called Together We Build: West Side Workforce Development and Career Fair, runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at BUILD Chicago’s campus at 5100 W. Harrison St. Block Club Chicago and BUILD Chicago are co-hosting the event, which is open to the public at no cost, though organizers ask attendees to register in advance.

BUILD Chicago is a nationally recognized violence prevention and youth development organization based in Austin. The partnership puts one of the neighborhood’s most established community institutions at the center of a day designed to connect job seekers with real opportunities rather than just information pamphlets.

The programming isn’t just a job fair.

Attendees can get one-on-one resume feedback, sit for mock interviews to sharpen their confidence before the real thing, and join speed networking sessions with local businesses and hiring employers. A financial coaching station will cover budgeting, credit, and savings. There’s also a professional attire closet on site, offering free work-ready clothing, and photographers will be available for professional headshots that attendees can use for job applications and LinkedIn profiles.

Block Club Chicago will lead a panel discussion on the future of work on the West Side, moderated by West Side reporter Michael Liptrot. Community partners already confirmed for the event include Revolution Workshop, Sarah’s Inn, and Cook County Health.

The West Side has spent decades absorbing the consequences of disinvestment, from shuttered manufacturing plants to chronic unemployment rates that outpace much of the city. Austin, in particular, has seen persistent job scarcity that pushed residents toward longer commutes or informal work. Events like this one reflect a shift in how community organizations are responding: building pipelines on the ground rather than waiting for city-level solutions to trickle down.

That shift is happening against a difficult federal backdrop. SNAP benefit cuts this spring have put additional financial pressure on families across Chicago’s West Side, many of whom rely on those benefits while searching for stable work. Organizations attending the June 27 fair are expected to address those pressures directly, sharing updated information on resources and options for people caught in that gap. The Illinois Department of Human Services tracks benefit programs available to residents statewide, and community groups at the fair can help connect attendees with what they qualify for.

Space at the event is limited. Organizers have set up registration for specific sessions, including the headshots, mock interviews, and resume reviews, and will place attendees on a waitlist once slots fill. Anyone who wants to table or participate as an organization can complete a form through the event site, though participation isn’t guaranteed. Businesses and organizations interested in sponsorship can contact [email protected].

For job seekers who don’t know where to start, the fair’s structure offers something useful: a single afternoon that covers multiple angles of the job search at once. That’s not easy to replicate on your own, especially without a professional network or the funds to pay for career coaching. The U.S. Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop database lists local workforce centers, but a room full of actual employers and coaches is a different thing entirely.

“The West Side deserves spaces where people can walk in and leave with something real,” said a BUILD Chicago representative familiar with the planning, who said the organization’s Harrison Street campus was chosen specifically because of its existing relationship with the surrounding community.

The trades pipeline, in particular, is an area where West Side residents have historically been underrepresented despite strong local demand for construction and infrastructure work. Revolution Workshop, one of the confirmed partners, has run construction and culinary training programs in the area. Their presence at the fair signals that this event won’t be limited to white-collar job seekers.

Registration is available through the event page, and attendees are encouraged to sign up early to secure spots in the sessions that fill fastest. The fair opens at 10 a.m. on June 27 at 5100 W. Harrison St. in Austin, with programming running through 5 p.m.