News Summary
Milwaukee is set to host the Greater Milwaukee Job Fair on September 25, 2025, aimed at connecting job seekers with thousands of employment opportunities. With a significant workforce mismatch in Wisconsin, this event will bridge the gap between abundant job openings and the dwindling working-age population. Collaborating with local chambers of commerce and workforce development boards, the fair will highlight local champions in workforce solutions, as initiatives like the FoodShare Employment and Training program seek to enhance job readiness and skills training in the region.
Milwaukee is set to address its growing workforce challenges on September 25, 2025, when Equus Workforce Solutions will host the Greater Milwaukee Job Fair from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield. This event aims to connect the region’s job seekers with a plethora of employment opportunities as Wisconsin grapples with a significant gap between job openings and available workers.
Since 2021, Wisconsin has averaged 190,180 job openings each month, yet only about 97,000 individuals are currently seeking employment. This mismatch highlights the state’s dual workforce challenge. Compounding this issue is a declining working-age population, which has shrunk by over 35,000 since 2011, with forecasts indicating that this trend may continue.
The upcoming job fair, conducted in partnership with the Greater Brookfield Chamber of Commerce, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development – Job Service, and the WOW Workforce Development Board, aims to bridge this gap by connecting hundreds of job seekers with local employers from various sectors. In addition to job placement, the event will recognize local champions of change in workforce development who have shown resilience and creativity in addressing these issues.
Bobby Nash, the Business Services and Community Engagement Supervisor at Equus, stressed the necessity for collaboration and innovation to solve Wisconsin’s workforce challenges. The honorees at this year’s event exemplify the community spirit needed to enhance the state’s job market.
Equus Workforce Solutions plays a crucial role in nurturing workforce pipelines through its initiatives, such as the FoodShare Employment and Training (FSET) program, which offers FoodShare recipients essential job skills, educational access, and support for work-related costs. The job fair is open to the public, and job seekers can register by texting JOBS to 56512 or visiting www.readyFSETgo.org.
In tandem with the job fair, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is celebrating National Workforce Development month with events scheduled for every Wednesday throughout September at various job centers statewide. These centers will provide essential services to both job seekers and employers, including assistance from career navigators and employment specialists aimed at enhancing workforce readiness.
Moreover, the local workforce board Employ Milwaukee has recently implemented a new skills training program for the manufacturing sector, backed by $1.3 million in funding over four years. This training initiative will focus on equipping individuals with basic skills through accelerated boot camps concentrating on emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and medical equipment manufacturing. Notable local companies such as Komatsu and Rockwell Automation support this program, which includes regular manufacturing hiring events and is offered free of charge to both individuals and employers.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson has underscored the critical need to generate new opportunities within the manufacturing sector. Employ Milwaukee’s programs aim to bolster the local workforce in this industry, particularly as over 40% of manufacturers are beginning to adopt artificial intelligence to combat labor shortages. Industry experts anticipate a demand for approximately 2 million workers by 2030, making urgent recruitment efforts for apprenticeships and skills training essential for the future of Milwaukee’s manufacturing landscape.
The Greater Milwaukee Job Fair represents an essential strategy in addressing existing workforce challenges and linking employers with potential employees, ultimately contributing to the economic growth and vibrancy of the region.
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Additional Resources
- Globe Newswire: Equus Workforce Solutions Hosts Greater Milwaukee Job Fair
- Urban Milwaukee: DWD to Host Workforce Wednesdays in September
- Jsonline: Manufacturing Skills Shortage the Focus of New Milwaukee Training
- Urban Milwaukee: Gov Evers, DWD Announce Over $10 Million to Bolster Wisconsin’s Workforce
- BizTimes: New Employ Milwaukee CEO Aims to Help Local Workforce Prepare for AI Future
- Wikipedia: Workforce Development
- Google Search: Wisconsin workforce shortages
- Google Scholar: Workforce development training
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Workforce
- Google News: Milwaukee job fair
Author: STAFF HERE MILWAUKEE WRITER
MILWAUKEE STAFF WRITER The MILWAUKEE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREMilwaukee.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Summerfest, Milwaukee Film Festival, and the Milwaukee Boat Show. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and Visit Milwaukee, plus leading businesses in manufacturing and brewing that power the local economy such as Harley-Davidson and MillerCoors. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Wisconsin's dynamic landscape.
