FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Mayor Rick Blangiardi Department of Community Services City and County of Honolulu |
 Courtesy: City and County of Honolulu HONOLULU — The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Community Services will host the Workforce & Enterprise Expo 2026 on Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall. The Workforce & Enterprise Expo brings together Hawaiʻi’s leading employers and emerging entrepreneurs for a dynamic, culturally grounded workforce event focused on opportunity, resilience, and shared kuleana. The Expo connects employers actively seeking to fill vacant positions with job seekers ready to enter or advance in the workforce. Local entrepreneurs and small business vendors will also showcase and sell locally made products, highlighting the innovation and enterprise thriving across Oʻahu. “At its core, this Expo is about opportunity,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “We have employers who are hiring, industries that are growing, and residents who are ready to work. Our kuleana as a City is to bring those pieces together in a way that creates real, lasting pathways to opportunity for our community.” According to the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Research and Statistics Office, Hawaiʻi has approximately 83,050 annual job openings across key sectors, including office administration, food services, sales, health services, and skilled trades. Workforce development remains central to the City’s economic resilience strategy as local industries continue to face labor shortages. The event will feature guest speakers representing high-demand industries and workforce support services, including: • Iain Wood, Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Shipyards International, will share insights on maritime and industrial workforce demand and long-term career opportunities within Hawaiʻi’s industrial sector. • Representatives from the Building Industry Association of Hawaii, who will highlight pre-apprenticeship construction training programs and career pathways in the skilled trades. •Cory Nicolas, licensed mental health counselor, and Alicia Banda, licensed marriage and family therapist with The Family Tree Project, will present the TRAP Method, a research-informed approach to managing anxiety, building confidence, and navigating today’s job search environment. “Workforce development is not just about filling positions,” said Anton C. Krucky, Director of the Department of Community Services. “It is about building stability for families, strengthening local enterprise, and ensuring residents have access to opportunity pathways that support long-term self-sufficiency. This Expo reflects a holistic approach that recognizes both employer demand and the personal resilience required to succeed.” The event will also feature local food trucks offering food for purchase, helping create a welcoming, community-centered atmosphere. Admission is free and open to the public. Job seekers are encouraged to bring multiple copies of their resumes and arrive early. For more information, visit Honolulu.gov/HiringEvents or scan the QR code below.  Media Contact: Amanda Stevens Public Information Officer Department of Community Services amanda.stevens@honolulu.gov —PAU— |