Jacksonville Job Fairs Oct. 1: Northside Community Fair and Sealift Recruiting

Published: September 26, 2026 | By LocalJobPage Team

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Thursday, October 1 gives Jacksonville job seekers two in-person hiring stops on the same morning, on opposite sides of the St. Johns River. On the Northside, Better Together brings a free community job fair to Gardenview Baptist Church with ten employers and resource partners on the list. On the Southside, Military Sealift Command recruits licensed mariners and ship's cooks at the CareerSource NEFL career center on Beach Boulevard.

One is a wide-open community fair that welcomes second-chance job seekers. The other is a targeted federal recruitment for seagoing jobs. Pick one, or plan the drive and hit both.

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📍 At a Glance

Date	Thursday, October 1, 2026
Northside event	Better Together Job Fair, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Gardenview Baptist Church, 3139 Armsdale Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32218
Southside event	Military Sealift Command recruitment, sessions at 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. – noon, CareerSource NEFL Southside Career Center, 11268 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32246
Cost	Better Together fair is free
Before you go	CareerSource NEFL requires a full Employ Florida registration for its events

Better Together Job Fair at Gardenview Baptist Church

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Gardenview Baptist Church, 3139 Armsdale Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32218

Nonprofit Better Together is hosting this Northside fair, and admission is free. The employer and resource list is a practical mix: Republic Services, Goodwill Industries of Northeast Florida, Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, FDOT's Statewide Workforce Development program, Arwood Container Services, Wright of Florida, MasterCorp, FastTrack Staffing and AtWork Personnel.

The organizer is open to job seekers of every background, including people who need a fresh start, and it offers short-term childcare during the fair. Better Together suggests applying online before you arrive so your time at the tables goes to real conversations. One note: the organizer's page calls the date a Wednesday. October 1, 2026 falls on a Thursday. The date is correct and the weekday is a typo. CareerSource NEFL's Mobile Access Points team will be on site with resume help.

Military Sealift Command Recruiting on Beach Boulevard

10:00 – 11:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. – noon | CareerSource NEFL Southside Career Center, 11268 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32246

Military Sealift Command crews the Navy's support and supply ships with federal civil service mariners. For this visit it is recruiting four positions: Able Seaman Maintenance, Chief Cook, Cook Baker and Electronics Technician. CareerSource requires Employ Florida registration first.

This is not a walk-in-anyone fair. These are seagoing jobs, and MSC's recruiting site says mariners need a Merchant Mariner Credential from the U.S. Coast Guard, a TWIC card and a valid tourist passport. MSC's site puts average entry-level mariner pay in the mid-$70,000s a year. The roles on this list sit above entry level, and pay for them was not published. Questions go to CareerSource NEFL at (904) 356-5627.

⚠️ Read This Before You Plan to Do Both

Armsdale Road and Beach Boulevard are on opposite ends of town. If you're a credentialed mariner or a professional cook who also wants to work the Northside tables, take the 10 a.m. MSC session, then head north. The Better Together fair runs until 1 p.m. Veterans have one more stop this week: the VA's Our Veterans Matter resource fair runs Tuesday, September 29, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, 300 A. Philip Randolph Blvd. It's a benefits and services fair, not a job fair.

🔎 Start Searching Before Thursday

The Gardenview employers hire year-round, and mariner and cook skills carry over to Jacksonville's port work. Apply now so Thursday counts.

Start here:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Better Together job fair free?

Yes. Admission is free, and short-term childcare is available during the event.

Do I need to register before the October 1 events?

CareerSource NEFL requires a full Employ Florida registration for its events, including the MSC recruitment. Better Together also has a job seeker registration page. Do both before Thursday.

Can I get hired by Military Sealift Command without sea experience?

MSC's site says sea time helps but is not mandatory for entry-level jobs. You still need a Merchant Mariner Credential, a TWIC card and a passport. The four roles recruited on October 1 are rated positions, so expect them to require matching credentials.

Can I attend with a record?

Yes. Better Together welcomes second-chance job seekers. Each employer sets its own hiring rules, so ask at the table.

Get Ready Before Thursday Morning

Create your free LocalJobPage profile so Jacksonville employers can find you after the fair, and browse every open job in Jacksonville to line up applications tonight.

Employers: Hiring in Duval County? Post your openings on LocalJobPage and reach the job seekers who show up at these events.