Toulon Defense Event: a salon that breaks the codes
On April 23, 2026, from 9am to 5pm, the Palais des Sports de Toulon changes its dimension. For a day, it becomes a real meeting point between candidates and recruiters, entirely dedicated to defense and public security professions.
Partner of the 400th anniversary of the French Navy, the Toulon Defense Event is now a major event in the South region. Supported by France Travail, CIRFA, and the entire Employment Network, its clear objective is to make opportunities visible, accessible, and tangible for all audiences.
“The defense sector today offers solid career prospects, accessible to all levels of qualifications. Our goal is to inspire new vocations, making these opportunities visible and tangible for all audiences,” emphasizes Angelique Ricordel-Papin, Regional Director of France Travail Var.
Youth, students, job seekers, or career changers: every year, several thousand visitors come seeking 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, CEO of France Travail, and Pascal Blain, Regional Director and National Defense referent. A strong commitment, in line with the sector’s strategic challenges.
Concrete and immediate opportunities
The Toulon Defense Event offers over 5,000 job offers to be filled at the local and regional levels, with nearly 4,000 expected participants and as many on-site interviews. A unique dynamic for quickly moving from meeting to employment.
With 200 represented professions, the event caters to all profiles, from unskilled to Bac +5. The armed forces recruit young people aged 17 to 30, while civil defense careers are open to all ages, in diverse fields such as operational, technical, health, administrative, and catering.
But the experience goes beyond recruitment. Across 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 and canine teams, health course, penitentiary extraction demonstration, trial course, and naval action force simulators.
“We are fully mobilized with all the partners of the Employment Network to showcase opportunities, inspire engagement, and support pathways to sustainable employment. This event 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 structuring pillar of the region.
France’s leading military department, the Var houses Europe’s largest military port and the main naval defense base in the Mediterranean. Toulon alone concentrates nearly 40% of the French Navy’s workforce. A unique anchorage, making it also the department’s largest industrial site.
With 31,000 direct jobs, 13,000 indirect jobs, and nearly 2,500 defense-related companies, the defense sector permanently drives the local economy. And the momentum continues: by 2030, sector jobs could increase 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 dynamic. Beyond recruitment, it carries a clear ambition: supporting full employment, promoting meaningful professions, and strengthening an excellent sector in service of the region.
“Our priority for 2026 is clear: to make the defense sector a true driver of integration and economic development for the Var,” concludes the director.
Toulon Defense Event Information:
April 23, 2026
Free entry
from 9am to 5pm
Palais des Sports de Toulon
