How the City of Playford is connecting local talent with local jobs through a community-powered careers expo.

Sometimes, the next big career opportunity is closer than you think.

Across northern Adelaide, industries including defence, advanced manufacturing, health, construction and logistics are growing. But for many residents, knowing where those opportunities are, or how to take the first step towards them, can be a challenge.

The City of Playford’s Business and Industry Growth Team decided to help bridge that gap, bringing employers, educators and employment services together under one roof.

The result is the Northern Adelaide Jobs and Careers Expo, now recognised with the 2026 Excellence in Local Economic Development Award at the LG Professionals SA 25th Annual Leadership Excellence Awards. More than a careers fair, it’s helping local people see a future in the region they call home.

More than jobs on a noticeboard

Northern Adelaide’s growing industries offer considerable opportunities, yet the region continues to experience higher unemployment and lower tertiary participation. For some residents, the barrier is knowing what skills a role requires. Others need help returning to work, changing careers or finding the confidence to apply.

After discussions with Workforce Australia’s Local Jobs Program Adelaide North, the City of Playford helped establish a working group connecting industry, training providers, universities and employment services.

Together, they designed an event that would do more than hand out brochures. Exhibitors offered interactive demonstrations, including virtual reality experiences, while the Pathway to Your Future initiative provided practical support with resumes, interviews and career decisions.

With exhibitors grouped by industry and a jobs board featuring more than 200 live vacancies, attendees could move from curiosity to a concrete next step.

From introductions to opportunities

The Expo attracted more than 4,000 attendees and 114 exhibitors, with over half of visitors travelling from outside the City of Playford.

And the results went beyond the crowd. Some 86 per cent of attendees reported greater awareness and confidence about their next steps, while 93 per cent of exhibitors said the event met or exceeded their expectations.

For project lead Jennes Walker, Manager Business and Industry Growth, the most telling outcome was hearing that local employer Williams Metal Fabrication had hired someone they met at the Expo.

Coles also received more than 100 applications from Expo attendees, while others went on to enrol in education and training.

These are the moments that matter: a conversation becoming an application, an introduction becoming a job, and a new career path suddenly feeling possible.

A partnership built for the region

What makes the Expo distinctive is the collaboration behind it.

The City of Playford coordinated the event with support from its Civic Centre and Stretton Centre teams. Rosslyn Ward and Michelle Scanlan from the Local Jobs Program Adelaide North helped bring regional partners together, while exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, university interns and a high school work experience student contributed their skills and time.

Employers and service providers also helped shape the event through pre-event workshops and brainstorming, making it a shared response to local workforce needs rather than a council initiative delivered in isolation.

Through sponsorships and in-kind contributions, the Expo was delivered at no cost to council. It’s proof that strong partnerships can extend both the reach and the value of local economic development.

Success measured in next steps

Winning the Excellence in Local Economic Development Award celebrates that collective effort, while helping attract new partners and employers.

The team has already delivered a third Expo, welcoming another 3,500 attendees and more than 100 exhibitors. Its next focus is improving how longer-term outcomes, from apprenticeships and training enrolments to employment, are captured.

For other councils considering a Leadership Excellence Awards nomination, Playford’s message is to share the work happening behind the scenes, especially when it responds to a genuine community need.

Because the real success of the Northern Adelaide Jobs and Careers Expo is not just how many people walk through the doors. It’s how many walk out knowing where they can go next.

Thank you to our partner Norman Waterhouse for sponsoring the Excellence in Economic Development Award.

GIF: Features a variety of images from the Northern Adelaide Jobs and Careers Expo and those representing the project at the 2026 LG Professionals SA Leadership Excellence Awards Gala Dinner.