Student Registration Update:

Official registration launches mid-September via StudentSquare + ParentSquare.

See It. Try It. Imagine Your Future.

Explore careers, discover opportunities, and connect with people who can help you find your path. Whether you're planning your next step or still exploring what's possible, your future starts with curiosity.

Attend the Fair (Student/Parent Info)
Interested to Exhibit? Action required

Why It Matters

Opening Students to Career Pathways They May Have Never Imagined

Every young person deserves to graduate high school believing their future is full of possibilities, but guidance on what comes next doesn't always extend beyond the college application. That's why Leadership Gilroy, Class of 2026, is hosting an interactive Trade Career Fair on Thursday, October 22nd, to close the gap between education and career and show them options in addition to the university pathway.

Through hands-on activities and real conversations with working professionals, we're giving local juniors and seniors the chance to discover pathways that offer something increasingly rare: stability, reliability, and a clear path forward.

We're here to show them doors they didn't know existed and connect them to the industries that keep our community running. Because sometimes, trying something for the first time or talking to someone who loves doing it is all it takes to change the course of a student's life.

Event Details for Parents & Students

Discover the Trade Career Fair

Core details

  • Event Date: Thursday, October 22, 2026

  • District Transit: Transportation provided by the Gilroy Unified School District.

  • Registration: Limited per High School

  • Perks: There will be food & prizes!

Discover the Trade Career Fair and have a chance to explore hands-on careers, meet people who do the work, and discover paths you may not have considered before.

Be ready to

  • Ask real questions about careers, training, and how to get started

  • Try your skills outside of the classroom at hands-on stations

  • Watch professionals in action during live demonstrations

Explore the Four Career Zones

Trade Education

Power your future with specialized technical training.

Learn about certificate programs, union apprenticeships, and degrees from partner colleges and technical centers.

Build Trades

Make, fix, and power the physical world.

Learn about careers in construction, electrical, plumbing, welding, and heavy equipment operation.

Creative Trades

Design, craft, and bring ideas to life.

Learn about media production, cosmetology, and digital photography

Public Safety

Keep communities safe and respond in critical moments.

Learn about law enforcement, firefighting, emergency medical services, and vital public infrastructure

Exhibitor Information & Intake

Host an interactive booth.

Our mission is to create a dynamic, transformative space where Gilroy juniors and seniors can get hands-on experience in real trade careers, speak directly with working professionals, and leave with a clear understanding of the next steps to take.

To bring this vision to life, our goal is to secure 22-24 interactive booth stations, each fully staffed for the entire duration of the event.

If you are ready to inspire the next generation of trade leaders by pairing your printed career guides with a real, tangible experience, we want you there.

Interested to Exhibit? Complete this form

What exhibitors need to know.

  • To accommodate your operational schedule, you can choose from three participation windows to help us keep all 22-24 booths fully active:

    • Morning (AM) Block: 8:45 AM – 12:15 PM

    • Afternoon (PM) Block: 12:15 PM – 3:30 PM

    • Full Day Block: 8:45 AM – 3:30 PM

    If you can do any/all, please let our team know!

    • Provided Equipment: Each standard booth includes one 6-foot table and two chairs.

    • Accommodation Requests: If your display requires an outdoor canopy, access to electrical power, water, or extra clearance, please specify these details on your interest form so our planning team can coordinate setup options.

    • Exhibitor Hospitality: Complimentary food and beverages will be provided to your team throughout the day to keep you fueled and refreshed.

  • We want students to leave with both excellent informational brochures and a memorable hands-on moment. We highly encourage pairing your print materials with a safe activity, live equipment demonstration, or sensory display that lets students try out the tools of your industry. If you need help brainstorm an accessible activity that pairs with your flyers, our team will gladly collaborate with you!

  • The safety of our youth is our absolute highest priority. To uphold safety for our participating students, every attending exhibitor and booth staff member must undergo official school district safety screening protocols.

    • Required Check-In: All booth personnel must bring a valid form of photo identification (such as a Driver's License or Government ID) on the day of the event.

    • Mandatory Clearance: Every individual must successfully pass through the official GUSD check-in process at the gate before being granted access to the exhibition area.

  • Bianca Rodriguez

    I’m passionate about using creativity and collaboration to make a positive impact in our community. Being part of this project means helping amplify local voices and creating something that truly brings people together.

  • Braulio Ramirez Perez

    When I was in high school, I had no clue what I wanted to do when I graduated. I felt lost. The 2026 Trade Career Fair is our way of providing different opportunities to the students of Gilroy so that they'll have secure and sustainable futures.

  • Chris Battaglia

    As a proud citizen of Gilroy for the past 18 years, it's been an honor to give back to the community that has been so generous to me, my wife, and my daughters.

  • Chris Silva

    As a parent of children attending GUSD schools, I want them to have every opportunity to explore a meaningful career in this rapidly changing job market.

  • Isaac Gomez

    I’ve seen how the right opportunity can transform a person’s future. That’s why this trade fair matters to me—it’s about connecting students with careers that provide purpose, stability, and the chance to build a better life for themselves and their families.

  • Lovedeep Sahota

    A single conversation can change the course of a student's life. This trades fair is about creating those moments by connecting students with careers that offer purpose, stability, and opportunity. 

  • Macie De Stefano

    Because my community showed up for me when my path was unclear, my why is to help the Trades Career Fair create that same moment for our youth. As a mother and Gilroy resident, I wish to see this community support one another.

  • Marcial Canales

    I’m passionate about providing opportunities that can provide a better future for our youth.

  • Marisol Palomares

    We're thrilled to unite diverse trades for a single, powerful purpose. Our goal is to ignite a passion for skilled trades in the next generation, showing them valuable paths beyond a four-year degree.

  • Michael Fossati

    Leadership Gilroy has offered me the opportunity to inspire young people in a manner unlike any other experience I have had before. We hope that this fine event we’re  creating will have a positive effect on a few lives.

  • Michelle Manrubia

    I believe every student is unique and deserves the opportunity to discover a career that reflects their strengths, sparks their interests, and makes them feel like the sky’s the limit.

  • Sam Davidson

    I support the Trade Career Fair because I grew up seeing the pride, dedication, and hard-work my dad put into being a mechanic. I believe the skilled trades are the backbone of our communities and deserve to be celebrated and passed onto the next generation.

  • Sana Afzal

    Having grown up in Gilroy, this fair is my way of offering what I wish had existed for me and my peers then — a space for students to explore futures they're actually drawn to, not just the ones that were most visible to them.

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Community Partners

ThanThank you community partner for in-kind donations

FAQs

How will my donations be used?

1

Contributions from sponsors and community contributions help fund: Event venue and logistics, student engagement activities, marketing and outreach, signage and educational materials, volunteer coordination supplies, career exploration experiences, and student resource materials

Are my donations tax-deductible?

2

Yes. Leadership Gilroy Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to developing leaders and strengthening our community for generations to come. You will get a receipt for your donations.

Why focus on trades?

3

Skilled trades offer meaningful, in-demand careers with opportunities to earn, learn, grow, and contribute directly to the community. The project also helps bridge the gap between young people seeking direction and industries that need the next generation of skilled workers.

How can I contact you?

4

You can reach us via our email address TradesFair@leadershipgilroy.org.