29 July – new DEF.Talks on veterans in the labour market

On 29 July, BazaIT Defense, together with UNIT.City, holds a new event in the DEF.Talks series. The meeting’s theme: “Return (in)sufficient – realities of life after the front”. Speakers will discuss the return of veterans to civilian life and their career and business prospects. Defender Media is a partner of the DEF.Talks series. Our readers can get 25% off with the promo code DEFENDER25.

The return of veterans to the labour market in 2026–2027 will be one of the biggest challenges for the Ukrainian labour market, according to the organisers. For founders, company leaders and investors, this presents a number of challenges: how to adapt recruitment, onboarding, team management and culture when a significant part of the team will comprise people with combat experience?

At the DEF.Talks meeting, participants will discuss experience that cannot be standardised, difficulties that often remain outside the public sphere, as well as practical steps that help teams, businesses and communities support veterans after their return.

For whom the event

• Company leaders and HR directors planning veteran recruitment
• Investors in HR-tech and talent management solutions
• Defence startup founders seeking leaders for their teams
• Policymakers and government bodies responsible for adaptation

Key topics

• Scale in figures: how many veterans are ready to work, which vacancies interest them, how long adaptation takes
• Best practices of recruitment: how to structure recruitment, onboarding and the first 90 days in a team with veterans
• Team management: leadership, psychological support, prevention of staff turnover
• State support vs. market demand: are grants, tax incentives and return programmes ready to cover business needs
• Real stories: how Ukrainian companies have already adapted processes, what lessons they have learned

Speakers

• Oleksandr “Teren” Budko – public figure, veteran
• Nazar Bokiy – veteran, co-founder of 4BRV
• Secret guests

Moderator: Oksana Horbunova, COO BazaIT and CEO BazaIT Defense.

Date and time: 29 July, 18:00
Registration: def-talks.in.ua

Partners and organisers: UNIT.City, BazaIT Defense, General Chereshnya, YouControl, Brave Center, Serhii Prytula Charitable Foundation, Defender Media, Morshynska, Underwood Brewery.