From Staff Reports and CareerSource Central Florida
In Summary:
A National Hire a Veteran Day Job Fair will be held from 9 am to 1 pm on July 23 at the Holden Heights Community Center. Participating employers include the City of Apopka, Disney, Orlando Utilities Commission, Spectrum, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and several other public- and private-sector organizations. The annual observance highlights the leadership, teamwork, and technical skills veterans can bring to civilian workplaces.
*****
Veterans, military spouses, and other Central Florida job seekers will have an opportunity to meet employers offering positions across a range of industries at a special hiring event in Orlando.
CareerSource Central Florida will host its National Hire a Veteran Day Job Fair from 9 am to 1 pm. Thursday, July 23, at the Holden Heights Community Center, 1201 20th St. in Orlando.
Related: From Service to Civilian: Navigating the transition with Veterans Services.
Although the event is being held in recognition of veterans and their families, it is open to all job seekers. Positions are available from entry-level through upper-level roles, according to CareerSource Central Florida.
More than 20 employers and organizations are expected to participate, including the City of Apopka, Walt Disney World, Orlando Utilities Commission, Spectrum, Trustco Bank, McLane Company, Toho Water Authority and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Other participating organizations include The Lane Construction Company, Wright of Florida, U.S. Border Patrol, Westbrook Service Company, Statewide Workforce Development, MasterCorp, Stark Tech, Addition Financial, the City of Orlando, Waste Pro, Kenpat, the Florida Department of Transportation Training Academy and Seminole County Government.
The job fair is intended to connect veterans and their spouses directly with employers that recognize the skills developed through military service, including leadership, teamwork, discipline, problem-solving, and the ability to perform under pressure.
CareerSource Central Florida said nearly 1.4 million veterans live in Florida, giving the state one of the nation’s largest veteran populations. While many successfully transition into civilian employment, the organization said nearly one-third experience underemployment, taking jobs that do not fully use the experience and abilities they gained in the military.
The national unemployment rate among veterans was 4.1% in June, according to figures cited in the release.
What is National Hire a Veteran Day?
National Hire a Veteran Day is observed annually on July 25 to encourage employers to recruit veterans and recognize what they can contribute to civilian workplaces.
The observance focuses on helping employers look beyond military job titles and understand how a veteran’s experience translates to the civilian workforce. Veterans frequently bring experience in project planning, critical thinking, communication, team building, and leading under pressure, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
More than 200,000 service members transition out of the military each year, and many face the challenge of explaining their military responsibilities in terms that civilian employers understand. Military spouses can encounter additional employment barriers due to relocations, licensing requirements, and career interruptions.
The Labor Department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service provides employment resources for veterans, transitioning service members, military spouses, and employers. Its stated goal is to help those groups reach their full potential in the workplace.
Although National Hire a Veteran Day falls on Saturday, July 25, in 2026, CareerSource Central Florida is holding its local job fair two days earlier.
Registration and event details
The job fair will run from 9 am to 1 pm. Thursday, July 23, at the Holden Heights Community Center, 1201 20th St., Orlando.
Parking is free and available at the site. J
Those in the community seeking employment and interested in attending the National Hire a Veteran Day job fair can register at http://www.CareerSourceCF.info/HireAVeteranDay.
