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The Veteran Ready Summit
Most organizations want to hire veterans. Far fewer are equipped to retain and develop them. The Veteran Ready Summit exists to close that gap.
Each year, employers across every industry join military leaders, training institutions, and workforce associations to share what's actually working — in recruiting, onboarding, retention, and apprenticeship — and to raise the collective standard for veteran employment.
With 150+ attendees and 50+ speakers, the summit delivers the tools, peer learning, and senior-level perspectives needed to build a veteran hiring program from the ground up — or sharpen one that already exists. Beyond the programming, attendees leave with a network of like-minded leaders and mentors who are committed to the same standard.
One standard: Veteran Ready.
I attended the Vet Ready Summit this past year for the first time and looking forward to the next! The sessions felt fresh and distinct from typical veteran-focused events. I especially valued connecting with people across a wide range of industries and backgrounds.
Beyond Military Friendly.
Be Veteran Ready.
There's a difference between signaling support and building a system. The Veteran Ready Summit helps employers make that shift.
- ✗A checkbox on a job posting
- ✗Attending one job fair per year
- ✗No structured veteran onboarding
- ✗High turnover among veteran hires
- ✗No clear pathway for skills development
- ✓A dedicated, organization-wide hiring strategy
- ✓An active, year-round veteran talent pipeline
- ✓A DOL-registered apprenticeship program
- ✓Structured retention & advancement planning
- ✓Cross-functional HR & workforce training
What you'll leave with
The Veteran Ready Summit is a working session, not a networking mixer. Every employer leaves with tangible next steps — and the relationships to execute them.
A veteran hiring strategy you can use immediately
Practical frameworks shared by industry leaders for sourcing, interviewing, and onboarding veteran talent — ready to adopt the same week.
A clear path to a DOL-registered apprenticeship
Summit experts walk attendees through the full enrollment process. Many organizations leave with a signed agreement and launch timeline in hand.
Direct access to a pre-screened veteran talent pipeline
Connect with veteran-focused workforce partners at the summit to begin matching transitioning service members to open roles across your organization.
Federal incentive & funding guidance
Hear directly from policy and workforce experts on WOTC credits, apprenticeship grants, and DOL funding streams available to committed employers.
Peer benchmarking across industries
Hear from employers across sectors about what's working — and what isn't — in veteran talent acquisition, onboarding, and long-term retention.
Recognition as a Veteran Ready employer
Organizations that commit to actionable veteran hiring goals at the summit receive recognition through the Veteran Ready employer network.
More than a conference.
A community.
The relationships built at the Veteran Ready Summit are as valuable as the programming itself. Attendees don't just leave with frameworks — they leave with a network of peers, practitioners, and leaders working toward the same standard.
Connect with HR and workforce leaders across every industry
Structured and informal networking opportunities put you in the room with talent acquisition leaders, workforce development directors, and operations executives who are actively building veteran hiring programs at organizations like yours.
Learn directly from organizations leading the way
The summit creates deliberate space for mentorship — connecting attendees with organizations that have already built mature veteran hiring and apprenticeship programs. Whether you're starting from scratch or refining an existing effort, there's a leader here who has been where you are.
Engage with senior military and government voices
Attendees gain rare, direct access to senior military leaders and government officials who bring the veteran perspective into sharp focus — and who speak candidly about what employers get right, and where they fall short.
Borrow what's working from outside your sector
The summit's cross-industry design is intentional. Some of the most innovative veteran hiring practices in healthcare came from construction. The best apprenticeship models in technology were adapted from manufacturing. The Veteran Ready Summit is where those ideas travel.
AGENDA
Experience these impactful days with us!
The 2026 Summit is still in the initial stages.
While you wait, you can see the types of content and topics by reviewing last year's agenda below:
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SPONSORS
LEADING THE CHARGE AHEAD OF MILITARY-FRIENDLY TO BECOMING VETERAN-READY
Contact paige.faulconer@fastport.com for more information about sponsorship opportunities so your organization can have maximum impact at the summit.
EVENT PLACE
Veteran Ready Summit
New York City, NY
December 14-15