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Here are a few — every event is built to put your brand in front of people actively looking for something new.
Our London events are priced separately due to significantly higher venue and operational costs, alongside the increased scale and reach they offer. Exhibiting in London provides access to one of the UK's largest and most diverse candidate markets, making it a premium location within our event network.
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Pre & post promotionMarketing before and after the event.
Account managerYour contact before, during and after.
Exhibitor spaceTable, tablecloth and chairs, ready on arrival.
12 months job boardUnlimited postings, included.
Exhibitor guideArrival times, parking, prep tips.
RefreshmentsComplimentary, all day.
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Line-ups change right up to event day — register free and we'll keep you posted as more employers confirm their attendance.
Sir Tom Finney Way, Preston, PR1 6RU
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♿Venues are chosen with accessibility in mind. For specific requirements, contact the team.
🕙Event runs 10am – 2pm. Exhibitor access from 9am.
Location guide / North West
Preston’s university, college, healthcare organisations and public services provide several routes into work and training. Its railway and bus stations serve different parts of the centre, with workplaces spread farther afield. Riverside parks and cultural venues offer places to get to know the city beyond an interview or fair.
By The UK Careers Fair Editorial Team
Last updated
This guide is due for a refresh. Check the official sources below for the latest local details.
Know the areaHousing figures cover Preston local authority. Nearby places in South Ribble and the broader Central Lancashire labour market are separate areas, even when advertised as convenient for Preston.
Official area data
Preston · September 2026
Preston · August 2026
Preston · 2025
Whole statistical area, not necessarily the town boundary.Employment rate, age 16–64: 74.1% · Preston · Jul 2025-Jun 2026. Survey estimate; local results can be volatile.
Area averages are not current asking prices or individual property valuations. Local short-term changes are volatile; use a year or longer. UK HPI house-price observations are provisional and subject to revision.
Preston's Anchor Board brings together employers and organisations in public services, health, education, housing and business. Examples include Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Lancashire, Preston College and the city council.
Look beyond headline professions to operational, administrative, digital, estates and customer-facing skills when reading employer requirements. Preston College's adult offer includes accounting, construction, digital skills, health and care, science and English. Compare course levels and schedules directly, and ask employers which qualifications or experience would help you progress.
A central search around Fishergate and the station prioritises rail access and city amenities. Other possibilities include Ashton or Cadley, which appear on local bus routes, depending on your work and household priorities. Visit individual streets and test their connections; a familiar neighbourhood name does not tell you about a particular property's noise, condition or commute.
The official rent figure shown alongside covers Preston local authority. This all-property local-authority figure excludes neighbouring South Ribble and is not an asking-rent quote. Compare similar homes and account for Council Tax, energy, broadband, transport and moving costs before deciding what is affordable for you.
Preston railway station is on Fishergate; the bus station is a separate city-centre hub. Lancashire County Council supplies local bus timetables and stop information. Route 44 is one example linking the bus and railway stations with Ashton and Cadley, but use the current operator information for the particular journey you need.
Regional transport connections do not guarantee that every industrial, hospital or campus journey works at shift times. Plan both directions, including weekends, and check ticket validity across operators. If the council timetable service is unavailable, consult the bus operator directly. Confirm any assistance and live service changes before travelling.
The Harris reopened in September 2025 after its major redevelopment, bringing museum, gallery and library activity back to the building. Use its current programme for exhibitions and events rather than older closure information. It offers a useful starting point for exploring the city's cultural life alongside your work search.
Avenham and Miller Parks sit beside the River Ribble, with landscaped gardens and paths. The council identifies them as the start and end of the Guild Wheel walking and cycling route. Try a manageable local section first, and look for a regular community activity or class that fits the return journey.
Preston City Council handles local matters such as Council Tax and waste, while Lancashire County Council provides services including education and the Family Information Service. The latter can help with finding childcare, including more complex needs or shift patterns. Confirm availability and collection arrangements before accepting a working schedule.
Use NHS guidance for GP registration. Check the local authority for homes beyond the city boundary, arrange household accounts and meter readings at handover, and keep tenancy and employment paperwork together. Practise a weekday combining work, groceries and any family responsibilities to make the budget realistic.
We use official local authorities, transport operators, public data and destination organisations. Data periods are shown alongside figures. Employer examples describe the local economy; they are not a promise of vacancies or attendance at the fair.
Next editorial review due 3 December 2026. Prices, services and availability can change before then.
For employers / Preston
Understand the local workforce. Meet candidates face to face.
Local knowledge.
Face-to-face connections.
Official figures for Preston. These describe the statistical area, which may differ from Preston and the fair’s catchment. They are not a forecast of attendance or candidates’ skills.
01 / The people behind the numbers
Shape the roles, training and working patterns you bring to your stand.
Residents aged 16–64
108,304Preston · Mid-2025Includes people in work, studying and outside the labour force.Economically active, age 16–64
78.7%Preston · Jul 2025-Jun 2026In work or unemployed under the survey definition. 95% margin: ±6 percentage points.Higher qualifications (RQF4+)
48.7%Preston · Jan 2025-Dec 2025Residents aged 16–64 with level 4 or above. 95% margin: ±8 percentage points.Preston · Jul 2025-Jun 2026. Shares of people already in work; survey estimates, not available applicants. Only published, reliable estimates are shown.
| Occupation group | Share | 95% margin |
|---|---|---|
| % all in employment who are - 1: managers, directors and senior officials (SOC2020) | 7.9% | ±4.4 pp |
| % all in employment who are - 2: professional occupations (SOC2020) | 23.1% | ±6.9 pp |
| % all in employment who are - 3: associate professional occupations (SOC2020) | 15.5% | ±5.9 pp |
| % all in employment who are - 4: administrative and secretarial occupations (SOC2020) | 9.4% | ±4.8 pp |
| % all in employment who are - 5: skilled trades occupations (SOC2020) | 10.3% | ±5.0 pp |
| % all in employment who are - 6: caring, leisure and other service occupations (SOC2020) | 11.7% | ±5.3 pp |
| % all in employment who are - 7: sales and customer service occupations (SOC2020) | 7.9% | ±4.4 pp |
| % all in employment who are - 8: process, plant and machine operatives (SOC2020) | 8.1% | ±4.5 pp |
Tell candidates what the work involves, what support you offer and which skills can be learned on the job. A conversation at your stand gives both sides room to ask questions.
02 / Put your offer in context
Use published benchmarks alongside the requirements of the role you are hiring for.
Employee jobs in the area
99,000Preston · 2024Workplace-based, rounded estimates. Existing jobs, not vacancies.Median gross full-time pay / week
£788 Preston · April 2026 (provisional)Local workplaces; all occupations. CV 3.2%.Jobs per working-age resident
0.97Preston · 2024Total jobs divided by residents aged 16–64. A ratio, not a percentage.Preston · 2024
Largest published industry groups. These are existing employee jobs, not vacancies.
Make pay, hours, location and progression easy to understand. Your team can explain what makes the opportunity worthwhile and arrange the next step while the conversation is fresh.
Data is refreshed from official public feeds. Different releases cover different periods; the date beside each figure is the period it measures. Suppressed and unreliable estimates are omitted. Survey estimates are subject to uncertainty and revision. Missing data is never shown as zero.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
From the exhibition floor
2 published testimonials from Bolton Careers Fair, a nearby event in our network. Feedback relates to past events.
Bolton Careers Fair
Everyone on your team was friendly and helpful and we got lots of volunteer sign ups from it.
Housing JusticePast exhibitorBolton Careers Fair
The Coordinators were really helpful and it was pretty busy fair with a lot of attendees.
Home-Start HostPast exhibitorCan’t make this date? These are the closest fairs to this venue.
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28 miles awayMeet Preston employers face‑to‑face — 30 June 2027 · 10am – 2pm. Register free in under a minute.
