Harrisburg, PA – Job seekers are invited to the Commonwealth Job Fair on Thursday, May 21 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex to explore rewarding careers and learn about the benefits and professional development opportunities the Commonwealth offers. The annual job fair is part of Governor Josh Shapiro’s commitment to expanding opportunities for Pennsylvanians who want to chart their own course and join public service to work on behalf of their neighbors.
“State agencies are looking for qualified, talented individuals to help them deliver the services that Pennsylvanians rely on every day,” said Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver. “Over the past three years, the Shapiro Administration has modernized the hiring process, expanded employee benefits, and launched new programs to attract employees, making this an ideal time to come to work for the Commonwealth.”
Commonwealth Job Fair
Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex
PA Preferred Banquet Hall
2300 Cameron Street, Harrisburg
Thursday, May 21, 2026
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Commonwealth Job Fair is the only recruitment event where job seekers can meet with recruiters and hiring managers from dozens of state agencies in a single location. Last year’s event attracted more than 1,000 registered attendees.
Representatives from over 35 state agencies will be on hand to talk to job seekers about hundreds of job openings across the state, how to apply, career pathways, and employee benefits. Interested job seekers are encouraged to pre-register for easy entrance; walk-ins are also welcome. American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters and Spanish-speaking recruiters will also be available on-site. Visitors should park in the North Lot, which includes an accessible entrance and parking spots.
The Commonwealth’s robust benefits package and workplace supports have led to its inclusion in the Best-In-State Employers rankings by Forbes and Statista in 2023 and 2025, based on a nationwide survey that included Commonwealth employees and the public. This comprehensive benefits package emphasizes physical and mental health, work-life balance, and personal well-being, including:
- Affordable medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage through the Pennsylvania Employees Benefit Trust Fund (PEBTF) and the ability to enroll dependents on day one of employment.
- Paid leave that includes holidays, vacation, parental, and sick leave to allow employees time to recuperate from illnesses, spend time with loved ones, and enjoy life.
- Flexible retirement plans to help employees prepare for the future, as well as a voluntary deferred compensation plan to boost retirement savings.
- Wellness benefits including confidential counseling and financial and legal support at no cost through the State Employee Assistance Program (SEAP) and work/life benefits to help balance the demands of work and family.
- Employee discounts and optional benefits such as insurance for home, auto, life, pet, chronic illness, and disability and tax-advantaged accounts to pay for health care, dependent care, and commuter expenses.
- Education assistance for employees and their dependents, including tuition discounts and scholarships at a growing number of colleges and universities, reduced interest rates on student loans, as well as student loan forgiveness under the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.
- Additional support for military personnel and veterans, including up to 15 days of paid military leave annually, up to five years of unpaid leave for service, a monthly stipend while on unpaid leave for active duty, and options to maintain health insurance coverage and purchase service time toward retirement while on long-term leave. Veteran job seekers are also entitled to hiring preference when applying for jobs with the Commonwealth.
Under the Shapiro Administration, the Commonwealth has also updated and enhanced benefits to compete with the private sector and meet the evolving needs of employees and their families, including eliminating waiting periods for new hires to enroll themselves and dependents in benefits, updating vision and dental coverage, increasing paid parental leave from six to eight weeks, increasing the number of no cost counseling sessions through SEAP, offering a new commuter benefit, and tuition discounts for employees and dependents.
Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has prioritized strengthening the Commonwealth’s workforce by bolstering recruitment, hiring, retention, and development through the Hire, Improve, Recruit, and Empower (HIRE) Executive Order and Committee while directing the Office of Administration (OA) to update job requirements to allow more applicants without college degrees to qualify. OA has since made significant strides to streamline the hiring process to fill vacancies more quickly. Now, hiring takes an average of 52 days to fill a position, compared to 90 days at the start of 2023 – a 42 percent reduction.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is always hiring! Job seekers can go to employment.pa.gov to browse hundreds of vacancies, apply for openings, and be notified when new jobs are available. Pennsylvanians can also explore internships, fellowships, and apprenticeships through the Commonwealth at the Launch Your Career page.
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