Annual Cadet Careers Fair welcomes over 200 cadets and a record number of businesses from Yorkshire and the Humber

This is the only careers fair in the UK exclusively for cadets. Special visiting guests included HM Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Mrs Jo Ropner, and Simon Banks-Cooper, Honorary Colonel of Humberside and South Yorkshire Army Cadet Force and founder of the Cadet Careers Fair.

Colonel Banks-Cooper says:

"Employers and entrepreneurs recognise that it’s not just academic qualifications that are key to employability. Wider experiences, generic skills, and emotional intelligence contribute to making a young person work-ready.

"The cadet experience offers the development of these invaluable attributes, boosting cadets' self-efficacy, esteem, and confidence—qualities that employers seek when recruiting. Businesses and organisations attending the fair understand that our cadets are prepared for a wide range of opportunities and receptive to all the professional pathways available. We are very pleased that the Cadet Careers Fair is now in its third year, and we expect continued growth in interest and engagement."

Andrea Ball, of Project Group, an employer at the event, says:

"Project Group is proud to support the Cadet Careers Fair. Events like this provide an opportunity to inspire and empower cadets who are eager to shape their futures. As a forces-friendly employer, supporting the cadets aligns with our commitment to fostering a future workforce of skilled, disciplined, and motivated individuals who are prepared to excel in the workplace and drive our company's success."

Fifty-five employers from across the region exhibited, offering 200 attending cadets the chance to explore employability opportunities and careers in a range of industries and sectors. The event celebrated the start of National Apprenticeship Week 2025.

The Cadet Force service programmes teach secondary school children skills ranging from camping and community volunteering to first aid. Funded by the Ministry of Defence, the programme aims to bolster social mobility, as well as the mental and physical health of its cadets. The cadet programme spans all services: Sea Cadet Corps, Army Cadet Force, Air Training Corps, and the schools-based Combined Cadet Force.

For more information about cadet service programmes in Yorkshire and the Humber, visit: www.rfca-yorkshire.org.uk/cadets

The Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Yorkshire and the Humber (RFCA YH) promotes and supports the Reserve Forces and Cadets across the region, helping to build relationships and increase understanding between military and civilian communities.