Renfrewshire Employability Month: free Paisley events: what residents need to know

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-18 11:02 3 min read

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Renfrewshire Employability Month will bring free job fairs, workshops and career support to Paisley from Tuesday 1 September to Thursday 24 September 2026. Events will take place at Lagoon Leisure Centre, the University of the West of Scotland’s Paisley campus and the Russell Institute, with the first session starting at 11am on 1 September.

The programme published by Renfrewshire Council is aimed at school pupils and parents, young people, job seekers, people returning to work and anyone considering a career change. Most sessions are drop-in events, although some offer advance booking or require an email reservation.

Five ways to find work, skills and support

Date and event	Time, venue and entry
Tuesday 1 September — Employment Support Showcase	11am–2pm at Lagoon Leisure Centre, 11 Christie Street, Paisley PA1 1NB. Drop in without booking to meet organisations offering help with routes into work.
Thursdays 3, 10, 17 and 24 September — Getting Career Ready	2pm–3pm at the Russell Institute, 30 Causeyside Street, Paisley PA1 1UN. Email invest@renfrewshire.gov.uk to reserve a place for CV support and mock interview practice.
Wednesday 16 September — Skills for Success	10am–12pm at the University of the West of Scotland, Paisley Campus, High Street, Paisley PA1 2BE. Places can be booked through Eventbrite, or visitors can drop in on the day.
Thursday 17 September — Get Involved in Volunteering	Sessions begin at 10am and 11.30am at the Russell Institute. No booking is required.
Thursday 24 September — Careers and Jobs in Renfrewshire	10am–1pm at Lagoon Leisure Centre. This is a drop-in fair featuring employers, industries and current vacancies.

The Employment Support Showcase opens the month by gathering services intended to help residents take their next step towards work. Later sessions divide that support into more focused routes: developing skills, exploring volunteering, preparing a CV and practising interviews.

The Careers and Jobs in Renfrewshire fair closes the main programme on 24 September. It is open to people who are unemployed, returning to work, changing careers or simply examining their options.

Around 50 employers are taking part

Approximately 50 employers and organisations are expected to participate during the month. Those named by the council include Home Instead, Bluebirdcare, McTaggart Construction, Onecloud Healthcare, Visiting Angels and HMRC, alongside Renfrewshire Council’s Modern Apprenticeships and Traineeships.

That range gives visitors several possible starting points rather than limiting the programme to advertised vacancies. Someone not yet ready to apply can seek employability support or interview practice, while those actively looking for work can meet employers and learn about current openings.

Renfrewshire Employability Month: free Paisley events: what residents need to know

Councillor Andy Steel, convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Economy and Regeneration Policy Board, said the programme brings together opportunities for residents seeking new skills, qualifications, a first job or the next stage of their career. Renfrewshire Council says its employability services supported more than 1,900 residents into positive employment, education and training opportunities during the past year.

Booking details before setting out

All listed events are free. The Employment Support Showcase, volunteering sessions and careers fair are drop-in events, while Skills for Success accepts both Eventbrite bookings and visitors on the day. Getting Career Ready is the only listed session requiring advance contact by email.

The council notice does not provide transport or accessibility arrangements, so anyone who needs those details should check directly before attending. Its employability team can also help people decide which session best matches their circumstances.

Residents can visit the council’s employability services at the Russell Institute, 30 Causeyside Street, Paisley PA1 1UN. The Invest in Renfrewshire team can be contacted on 0300 300 1180 or at invest@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

Source: Renfrewshire Council

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source trail

Dates, venues, entry arrangements and contact details were checked against Renfrewshire Council’s published programme.

Checks

Matched the five listed activities with their published September dates and times.
Checked venue names, street addresses and Paisley postcodes.
Distinguished drop-in sessions from events offering or requiring advance booking.
Retained the council’s stated free-entry status and named participating employers.

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