CEI Careers Expo
Exhibitor stands & sponsorship now open

The Midlands' specialist sector recruitment event

Construction·Engineering·Infrastructure
Friday 16 April 2027 10am – 4pm ICC Birmingham

3,000+

Targeted candidates

250,000+

Sector reach (campaign + regional)

50+

Leading exhibitors

10

Industry talks

Powering Midlands sector growth

Built around the work the Midlands is hiring for

A specialist recruitment event, structured around four connected sector zones and built specifically for construction, engineering and infrastructure.

Construction — site work, cranes and civil engineering
Zone 1

Construction

  • Main contractors & civil eng.
  • Groundworks specialists
  • M&E & building services
  • Fit-out & specialist subs
Engineering — design, manufacturing and technical specialists
Zone 2

Engineering

  • Multi-disciplinary consultancies
  • Architectural & design firms
  • Aerospace & defence eng.
  • Building services & MEP
Infrastructure — rail, energy and utilities
Zone 3

Infrastructure

  • Rail, highways & transport
  • Utility operators (water/gas/elec)
  • Renewable energy & power
  • Telecoms & digital infrastructure
Multi-sector — strategic, support and industry partners across the project lifecycle
Zone 4

Multi-sector

  • Strategic & support organisations
  • Operating across disciplines
  • Industry partners & bodies
  • Training & workforce providers
Why exhibit

A platform built for hiring

Move candidates from first introduction to meaningful hiring conversation in a single day — backed by coordinated digital, print and outreach campaigns before, during and after the event.

Shorten timelines

On-site interviews, technical screening and competency discussions accelerate hiring.

Full candidate pool

Engage active candidates alongside experienced professionals open to the right opportunity.

Multi-channel reach

Targeted digital and regional campaigns engage candidates well before the doors open.

The ROI case

With a single agency placement often costing £6,000–£12,000, just one hire from the event can cover your entire investment.

The Midlands opportunity

A region entering a major growth period

Infrastructure, engineering and energy investment is positioning the Midlands as a key UK growth hub — and a focal point for serious sector hiring.

  • Experienced specialists with 10–15+ years in the sector
  • Mid-level progressors seeking advancement and relocation
  • Graduates and apprentices from regional universities and colleges
  • Ex-military professionals transitioning into civilian roles
How it works

Turn candidate interest into recruitment activity

Designed to go beyond a friendly conversation — helping employers progress candidates into interviews, assessment and meaningful next steps on the day.

The Recruitment Lounge

A dedicated space to take promising candidates beyond a quick chat — for technical screening, competency discussions and deeper conversations away from the stand.

Mobile Scanner App

Instant QR lead capture, digital CV access, candidate scoring and notes — with GDPR-compliant data after the event.

Reach before the doors open

20,000 copies of our regional recruitment newspaper plus targeted digital campaigns promote your live roles across the Midlands — driving applications, and even hires, before the doors open.

Industry talks

A seminar programme of 10 industry talks gives candidates a real reason to attend and stay engaged throughout the day.

Venue & catchment

A Midlands-wide catchment

Held in Hall 3 of the ICC Birmingham — within walking distance of Birmingham New Street and at the centre of the UK's motorway network (M6, M42 and M5). Your sector vacancies reach active and passive candidates drawn from right across the region — from Telford and Worcester to Coventry, Rugby and Leamington Spa.

250,000sector professionals within the catchment
Approx. 1 hour by public transport Approx. 1 hour by car
Catchment map showing the area within roughly one hour of ICC Birmingham by car and public transport, including Telford, Wolverhampton, Stafford, Lichfield, Coventry, Rugby, Leamington Spa and Worcester
Exhibitor guide

Get the full exhibitor guide

Stand options, sector zones, candidate marketing, venue and catchment detail — everything you need to plan your presence. Tell us where to send it and our team will be in touch.

CEI Careers Expo exhibitor guide cover
Book your stand

Ready to secure your place?

A purpose-built recruitment event designed to accelerate hiring through direct engagement, technical validation and real-time candidate assessment.

Why book early?

1

Get first pick of prime stand positions — see the full floor plan in the guide.

2

Start promoting your roles from sign-up with unlimited job postings.

3

Gain more exposure across marketing and the event website.

Talk to the team

Questions

Exhibitor FAQs

Who attends the expo?

The focus is on experienced, industry-active professionals — around 70% of the campaign targets senior specialists, project leads, technical and operational teams, and passive candidates already working in the sector who are open to the right move. Graduates and apprentices from regional universities and colleges attend too, but the primary emphasis is on experienced hiring across construction, engineering and infrastructure.

What makes this different from a standard careers fair?

It's built specifically for construction, engineering and infrastructure recruitment, not general footfall. Dedicated sector zones, shared interview and technical-discussion areas, industry talks and digital lead capture are designed to support structured hiring conversations — moving from first introductions to qualification meetings and technical screening in a single day.

How does the event support our wider recruitment strategy?

The Expo sits within a coordinated campaign — vacancy promotion, employer branding, targeted outreach and face-to-face engagement with experienced talent — running before, during and after the day. It's designed to improve visibility, accelerate hiring conversations, build a talent pipeline for future projects and reduce reliance on high agency fees.

How early should we confirm our stand?

Early confirmation means longer exposure across the campaign, earlier vacancy promotion, stronger positioning, and access to the best remaining stand locations — which are allocated on a first-confirmed basis. You can also start advertising roles with unlimited job postings from the moment you sign up.