Hampton Roads Job Fair Sept. 30: Shipyard, Port, Police and More Hiring in Hampton

Published: September 25, 2026 | By LocalJobPage Team

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA — If you have been waiting for one room where the shipyard, the port, three police departments and two school systems are all taking resumes at the same time, it is next Wednesday. The Hampton Roads Job Fair lands at the Hampton Roads Convention Center on September 30, and it is worth the trip across the water from the Beach.

More than 30 employers, from Norfolk Naval Shipyard to Virginia Beach's own Stihl, will recruit in Hampton on Wednesday, September 30, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with on-the-spot interviews promised.

Ready to search? Jump to the job links and start applying before you go →

Event	Hampton Roads Job Fair
Date	Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Time	11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location	Hampton Roads Convention Center, 1610 Coliseum Drive, Hampton, VA 23666
Format	In person, with on-the-spot interviews
Employers	More than 30 listed for fall 2026
Bring	15 to 20 copies of your resume

🔥 Who's Recruiting at the Hampton Roads Job Fair

The organizer's fall 2026 vendor list reads like a map of the regional economy. Defense and maritime show up in force: Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Military Sealift Command and the Port of Virginia. So does the public sector, with the City of Norfolk, Norfolk Police, Hampton Police, Virginia State Police, the Virginia Department of Transportation and Hampton Roads Transit all on the list.

Schools are there too, with Norfolk Public Schools and Portsmouth Public Schools recruiting, along with behavioral health employers including the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board, Colonial Behavioral Health and Western Tidewater Community Services Board. Chesapeake Regional Healthcare rounds out the health care side.

On the private side, look for Canon Virginia, Howmet Aerospace, Stihl, Boyd Gaming's Norfolk casino, Cintas, Securitas, BrightView, World Market, AECOM and HKA Enterprises, among others. Stihl is the one with the shortest commute for Beach residents, since its U.S. headquarters sits right here in Virginia Beach.

💼 The Jobs Behind the Booths

The organizer lists healthcare, government, manufacturing, skilled trades, technology, education, retail, hospitality and transportation as the fields in play. In practice that spans entry-level work you can start quickly, like security, landscaping and retail, through careers that come with a training pipeline, like transit operator, police recruit and shipyard trades.

Specific openings and pay were not published ahead of the fair. Look up the employers you care about before Wednesday so you know which roles they are filling, and apply online in advance where you can. Walking up to a booth as someone who already applied is a far stronger opener than asking what they have.

📋 How to Show Up Ready

Bring 15 to 20 printed resumes. That is the organizer's own recommendation, and with this many employers it is not overkill.
Dress business or business casual. Interviews may happen on the spot.
Have a 30-second introduction ready: what you do, what you want, when you can start.
Follow up within 24 to 48 hours with anyone who took your resume.
Budget the drive. From Town Center it is I-264 to I-64 and through the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. Midday usually moves, but tunnel traffic can double the trip.

Can't Make Wednesday?

Different event, different day, different format. The region's virtual job fair runs October 21, November 18 and December 16, no tunnel required. And our fall guide to Virginia Beach area job fairs covers the in-person events on the calendar through December.

🔎 Start Searching Before You Go

Many of these employers post Virginia Beach and South Hampton Roads openings year round. Line up a few applications now and use the fair to put a face to them.

Start here:

Hampton Roads Job Fair FAQ

When and where is the Hampton Roads Job Fair?

Wednesday, September 30, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hampton Roads Convention Center, 1610 Coliseum Drive in Hampton.

Do I need to register?

The organizer's public page does not list a registration step or an admission price for job seekers. If you want certainty before making the drive, check hamptonroadsjobfair.com or call the convention center at (757) 315-1610.

Which employers will be there?

More than 30 are on the fall 2026 list, including Norfolk Naval Shipyard, the Port of Virginia, Hampton Roads Transit, Virginia State Police, Norfolk Public Schools, Canon Virginia and Stihl. Rosters can change, so check the organizer's site the day before.

Will there be interviews on site?

The organizer advertises on-the-spot interviews. Come dressed for one and bring plenty of resumes.

Is this the same as the virtual job fair?

No. This is an in-person fair in Hampton. The state-run virtual fair for Hampton Roads is a separate event held online on the third Wednesday of each month.

Get Your Profile Up Before Wednesday

The job seekers who get the most out of a fair are the ones who already have applications in. Create a free LocalJobPage account to save searches and get Virginia Beach openings sent to you, then browse every current Virginia Beach job.

Employers: not at the fair but hiring in Virginia Beach? Post your openings here and reach local job seekers directly.