San Diego Trades Career Fair Nov. 18: Construction, Electrical and HVAC Jobs at City College

SAN DIEGO, CA — If you work with your hands, or want to, mark Wednesday, November 18. The San Diego Workforce Partnership and San Diego City College are hosting Lay the Foundation, an all-trades career fair on the City College campus downtown, with employers hiring across construction, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, welding and maintenance.

Two hours on Park Boulevard, built for the skilled trades, bring your resume and your certifications.

Ready to build? Skip straight to the job links and begin searching now →

📍 Event at a Glance

Event	Lay the Foundation: All Trades Career Fair
Date	Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Time	10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location	A Building Patio, San Diego City College, 1313 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101
Format	In person
Registration	Register on the organizers' Eventbrite page
Hosts	San Diego Workforce Partnership and San Diego City College

🔧 Which Trades Are on the Table

This is a trades fair, not a general job fair, and that focus is the point. The organizers list six fields:

Construction
Electrical
Plumbing
HVAC
Welding
Maintenance

The listing says employers will be there to talk about current openings and to meet candidates, and it is written for job seekers interested in skilled trades careers. It does not name the participating employers, and it does not give a headcount. We are not going to guess at either. Arrive ready to talk about what you can already do.

It is also worth going if you are not licensed yet. A trades fair on a community college campus is a good place to ask employers directly which certifications they want to see, and whether they bring on helpers, trainees or apprentices.

⚠️ What We Could Not Confirm

Two details are missing from the organizers' own listing, so we are leaving them blank rather than filling them in:

Cost. The listing does not state a price. Check the Eventbrite page when you register.
Walk-ins. Registration runs through Eventbrite. The listing does not say whether walk-ins are accepted, so register ahead to be safe.

Questions can go through the San Diego Workforce Partnership event page.

📋 How to Show Up Ready

Two hours goes fast, and the organizers were specific about one thing: bring copies of your resume and any relevant licenses, certifications or credentials. A few more things that help:

Print several resumes. Put your trade experience, tools and equipment near the top.
Carry your cards. OSHA 10 or 30, EPA 608 for HVAC, welding certs, a forklift card, a driver's license. If you have it, bring it.
Have photos of your work on your phone. A finished panel, a clean weld, a remodel. In the trades, showing beats telling.
Get there at 10. The last half hour of any fair is the thinnest.
Use the trolley. City College has its own trolley station steps from campus, which beats hunting for parking on Park Boulevard.

Why the Trades Are a Smart Bet in San Diego

San Diego keeps building. Housing, transit, the bases and the port all need electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs and maintenance crews, and that work cannot be done from a laptop. Many trade paths also let you earn while you learn instead of piling up debt first. If you are weighing a career switch, a morning at City College is a low-cost way to find out what local employers actually want.

🔎 Search Trades Jobs Now

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is the Lay the Foundation career fair?

Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on the A Building Patio at San Diego City College, 1313 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101.

Which trades are hiring?

The organizers list construction, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, welding and maintenance. Participating employers have not been named publicly.

Do I need to be a City College student?

No student requirement appears on the listing. It is described as a fair for job seekers interested in skilled trades careers.

Is it free?

The organizers' listing does not state a cost. Check the Eventbrite registration page before you go.

What should I bring?

Copies of your resume and any relevant licenses, certifications or credentials, as the organizers recommend.

Your Next Move in the Trades

Create a free LocalJobPage account to get alerts when new electrical, plumbing, HVAC and construction jobs post across San Diego County. You can also explore role-by-role guides in the San Diego Career Center.

Employers: Hiring tradespeople in San Diego? Post your openings on LocalJobPage and reach local candidates directly.