Israel is trying to help its Arab sector advance in the field of high tech and to that end its Ministry of Economy has announced that two organizations, Tsofen and ITworks, have won a tender, which was first announced in October 2014, for the training and integration of Arab, Druze and Circassian academics into the hi-tech sector. In accordance with the tender, approximately NIS 10 million ($2.55 million) will be transferred to these organizations over the next three years so that they can conduct the program.
During the contract period the organizations will be required to examine the manpower needs of hi-tech employers in northern and central Israel and locate, guide, train and place Arab students and academics in hi-tech sector companies.
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Every year hundreds of academics from the Arab, Druze, and Circassian sectors complete studies in relevant fields in order so that they may be able to work in hi-tech industries. However, in spite of many attempts to do so, these graduates are often unable to find work on their own in the fields of their training.
In light of the recommendations of the Trajtenberg Committee (the committee for socioeconomic change), the government adopted government resolution no. 4193 on January 29th, 2012, which instructed the Ministry of Economy to create a program to encourage demand for employees among the Arab population sector and improve employment infrastructure. The Ministry of Economy and the Authority for the Economic Development in the Arab, Druze, and Circassian Sectors in the Prime Minister’s Office then approved a proposal to implement a government program to encourage the employment of the Arab population sector in the hi-tech industry.
Michal Tzuk, Deputy Director-General at the Ministry of Economy and Head of Employment, said, “We view the encouragement of high level employment that offers good salary and employment conditions as a significant component in strengthening economic growth and narrowing the social and economic gaps between population sectors in Israel, and between National Priority Areas and central Israel. This is true for all industries but particularly relevant for the hi-tech industry. There is a skilled and high-quality workforce in Israel in the form of hundreds of male and female academics from the Arab, Druze and Circassian sectors, available for employment. The program comes to meet these economic and cultural needs, and create a connection between the supply of manpower and the great demand among the employers.”
