Toulon Defense Event: A Groundbreaking Career Fair
On April 23, 2026, from 9am to 5pm, the Palais des Sports in Toulon takes on a new dimension. For a day, it becomes a real meeting point between candidates and recruiters, entirely dedicated to defense and public security professions.
As a partner of the 400th anniversary of the French Navy, the Toulon Defense Event is now a major event in the South region. Led by France Travail, CIRFA, and the entire Network For Employment, it has a clear objective: to make opportunities visible, accessible, and tangible for all audiences.
“The defense sector offers solid professional prospects today, accessible at all levels of qualification. Our goal is to create new vocations, making these opportunities visible and tangible to all audiences,” emphasizes Angelique Ricordel-Papin, Departmental Director of France Travail Var.
Youth, students, job seekers, or career changers: every year, several thousand visitors come to seek a path, an opportunity, sometimes a breakthrough.
This edition promises to be particularly impactful, with the presence of prominent figures such as Jean-Pierre Farandou, Minister of Labor and Solidarity, Thibaut Guilluy, Director General of France Travail, and Pascal Blain, Regional Director and National Reference for Defense. A strong commitment commensurate with the strategic challenges of the sector.
Tangible and Immediate Opportunities
The Toulon Defense Event offers over 5,000 job offers to be filled at the local and regional level, with nearly 4,000 expected participants and as many on-site interviews. A unique dynamic for quickly transitioning from meeting to employment.
With 200 professions represented, the fair caters to all profiles, from unskilled workers to those with a Bachelor’s degree. The armed forces especially recruit young people aged 17 to 30, while civil defense professions open their doors to people of all ages, in fields as diverse as operational, technical, healthcare, administrative, and catering.
But the experience goes beyond recruitment. Over 3,000 m² of exhibition space, visitors and candidates can discover military equipment and vehicles up close, from the Caesar truck to defense systems.
Throughout the day, demonstrations and activities punctuate the visit: flight and air combat simulators, underwater listening table, drone demonstrations, canine teams, health course, penitentiary extraction demo, trial course, and naval action force simulators.
“We are fully mobilized with all the partners of the Network For Employment to showcase opportunities, inspire engagement, and support pathways to sustainable employment. This fair is a direct gateway to employment,” reminds the director.
The Var Territory at the Heart of French Defense Challenges
If Toulon hosts such an event, it is no coincidence. Here, defense is more than a sector: it is a key pillar of the territory.
As the leading military department in France, Var is home to Europe’s largest military port and the main naval defense base in the Mediterranean. Toulon alone accounts for nearly 40% of the French Navy’s manpower. A unique anchor that also makes it the department’s leading industrial site.
With 31,000 direct jobs, 13,000 indirect jobs, and nearly 2,500 companies linked to the Armed Forces, the defense sector significantly fuels the local economy. And the momentum is not slowing down: by 2030, sector jobs could grow by 67%.
In a demanding international context, the stakes are high: sovereignty, innovation, skills renewal… Recruitment needs, both military and civilian, have never been stronger.
Therefore, participating in the Toulon Defense Event is fully engaging in this momentum. Beyond recruitment, it carries a clear ambition: to support full employment, valorize meaningful professions, and enhance an excellent sector in service of the territory.
“Our priority for 2026 is clear: to make the defense sector a real engine for insertion and economic development in Var,” concludes the director.
Toulon Defense Event Information:
April 23, 2026
Free entry
From 9am to 5pm
Palais des sports de Toulon
