(Communicated by the Ministry of Economy Spokesperson)

The Ministry of Economy announces that two organizations, Tsofen  and ITworks, have won the tender, announced in October 2014, for the training and integration of Arab, Druze and Circassian academics into the hi-tech sector.  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.
 
Hundreds of academics every year from the Arab, Druze, and Circassian sectors complete studies in relevant fields for working in hi-tech industries. However, despite their repeated attempts, these graduates are often unable to find work on their own in the profession they studied.
 
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 of 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: “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”.