Leaving the armed forces means starting again in a job market that speaks a different language. While plenty of businesses are keen on ex-military recruitment, finding and connecting with these firms can be challenging.
For veterans, translating their experience into a form employers understand can prove difficult. Many have never had to build a civilian CV before and may not even know where to start looking for suitable opportunities. However, this is where dedicated veterans’ career fair help.
These events put both sides in the same room, letting veterans explain their experience in person and giving employers direct access to talent they might otherwise overlook. For anyone leaving the military or looking to hire veterans, they represent an invaluable resource.
Veteran UK runs the country’s largest careers fair series for the armed forces community, with events held annually in Bristol, Manchester, Cheltenham and London. Each one brings hundreds of hiring managers, training providers and support charities under one roof to meet qualified candidates. They are free to attend for veterans and service leavers, while employers can book a stand to exhibit.
A key advantage of these fairs is the conversation. Instead of sending applications into a recruitment portal, candidates can explain your service record face-to-face to someone who wants to hear it, ask about vacancies never advertised online and make a much deeper impression than a CV alone can achieve.
Attending a Veteran UK ex-military recruitment fair costs nothing. A free visitor pass covers the full day and also includes entry to the co-located Security Cleared Expo, Cyber Security Expo and Police Resettlement Expo, so one registration opens several events at once.
On the day, benefits you can expect include:
Bring copies of your CV and a plain-English summary of what you did in service. Recruiters here already understand military roles, so it isn’t about explaining yourself from scratch. It’s about showing how what you’ve done fits what they need.
Exhibiting puts your hiring team in front of candidates who are actively transitioning out of service. This talent pool is broader than many employers expect. Attendees come from specialisms including engineering, communications, logistics, intelligence, aviation and project management, with experience that transfers directly into civilian roles.
A stand also does something an online job advert can’t. You can explain what your business does, answer questions and clear up assumptions on the spot, while candidates get a feel for whether they’d fit.
Previous exhibitors include Airbus, BAE Systems, Barclays, BT, GCHQ and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Selected packages include opportunities for speaker slots and 30 days’ access to the Security Cleared Jobs CV database, so the benefits continue after the doors close.
Exhibiting is a practical way for organisations that have signed the Armed Forces Covenant to act on that pledge rather than simply display the logo. Stands are available across all four events, so get in touch to discuss the location that suits you.
Veteran UK runs four careers fairs a year, spread across the country so there is usually one within reach. All are free for veterans and service leavers. See the event pages below for the next dates at each location and specific details such as exhibitor lists, so you can plan your day around the employers you most want to meet.
There’s no single path to finding a new career after leaving the armed forces. The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) is often the first port of call. This is the MOD’s official resettlement service, offering support for all armed forces leavers, including career guidance, training and help finding work.
From there, the next step for many veterans is job boards or specialist recruiters, who know their sectors and can put your name forward behind the scenes. A careers fair builds on these by offering face-to-face access to dozens of employers in one place, with a conversation instead of an application form.
Most people use a combination. The routes work well together: register with an agency, watch the boards, use your CTP entitlement and turn up on the day to put faces to all of it.
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No. The events are aimed at anyone transitioning out of service as well as those who have already left, so you can attend while still serving and start planning early.
Get in touch through the exhibitor enquiry form on the Veteran UK website, or contact the events team directly on expo@satosmedia.com.
Yes. Registration is free for veterans and service leavers. Your pass also covers the co-located Security Cleared Expo, Cyber Security Expo and Police Resettlement Expo. Pre-registration is required.
An agency represents you over time, putting you forward for roles behind the scenes. Veteran UK is an event, so you meet employers yourself and make your own impression in person.
London on Tuesday 27th October 2026 at the QEII Centre, followed by Bristol on Thursday 15th April 2027 at Ashton Gate. Manchester and Cheltenham follow later in 2027.
Register to attend Veteran UK the largest careers fair for Veterans and Service Leavers.
Meet your next employer face-to-face!
100s of hiring managers looking to recruit EX-Military!
