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    23 July

    | 2020 | 12:30

    Employment Samplings – High-Tech in Jerusalem

    • Free
    • In Hebrew
    • Invites Only
    • Online
    • Free
    • In Hebrew
    • Invites Only
    • Online
    Employment Samplings – High-Tech in Jerusalem

    The Jerusalem Employment Authority and the Jerusalem Municipality Department for Strategic Policy and Planning, in cooperation with the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research, are holding a series of short meetings for municipal employees on the subject of employment in Jerusalem.

    The objective of these short samplings is to facilitate municipal discourse in regard to the local economy and employment, accompanied by a light lunch. The format consists of a short 15-minute lecture focusing on a specific issue, followed by comments by a municipal executive, and a short discussion.

    The third meeting focused on:

    High-Tech in Jerusalem

    Amir Muskat-Barkan, Researcher, the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research:

    Employees

    • The number of employees in the high-tech sector in Jerusalem in 2018 was 17,300. In addition, many more workers are employed in technological roles in other sectors.
    • The high-tech sector in Jerusalem is more open to ultra-orthodox women: While 8% are employed in Jerusalem, the national average is only 2%.
    • The employment rate of secular women in Jerusalem is lower than the national average.
    • The participation rate of ultra-orthodox men in the high-tech sector is between 1 to 2 percent. This rate is low both in Jerusalem and nationwide.
    • Data shows that most high-tech opportunities and jobs are not located in Jerusalem, which is one of the reasons for many young people leaving the city. This trend, however, is changing.

    Employers

    • The main employers in the high-tech sector are located inIsrael’s three main cities: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa. Each area has its own geographical specialization.
    • Israel’s high-tech capital is Tel Aviv.
    • High-tech companies based in Jerusalem focus mainly on biotech, and less on engineering.

    [Presentation in Hebrew here]

    Inbal Gottesman, Start-up Nation Central, Jerusalem

    Communities and training programs

    Local academic expertise is one of Jerusalem’s notable aspects. Two prominent and highly-successful Jerusalem-based high-tech companies are Mobileye and Lightricks, both relying on academic research from the Hebrew University.

    Jerusalem boasts a local eco-system of high-tech communities: these organize meet-ups, free courses to improve skills and capabilities necessary in the high-tech world, employment fairs, mentoring programs for women, and more.

    Start-up Nation Central, in cooperation with the Jerusalem Development Authority, operates pilot programs aimed at training and promoting both potential recruits and personnel, such as the excellence “boot camp” program for the local ultra-orthodox and Arab populations, both significantly under-represented in the high-tech sector. SNC also equips first-degree Computer Science graduates with high-tech skills, while also developing soft skills. Another program, operating within ultra-orthodox seminaries, offers tailored training as part of the study framework.

    Itzik Ozer, the Jerusalem Development Authority

    Significant Increase in the Last Eight Years in the Number of Students Who Choose to Remain in the City After Concluding Their Studies.

    Jerusalem’s relative advantage lies in academia as a growth-engine. Among the academic institutions in the city are the Hebrew University, Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, hospitals conducting research, the Jerusalem College of Technology (Machon Lev) and a number of the training colleges.

    Since 2012, programs to develop events and communities have been undertaken. In addition, high-tech villages were established, and grants were awarded to strategically important start-ups and companies.

    As part of the public sector, the Jerusalem Development Authority does its utmost to provide all possible help and support. The Jerusalem Development Authority gave a significant grant to expand Hebrew University’s Engineering Department, because companies rely mainly on skilled personnel, and the most pressing shortage of high-tech workers in Jerusalem is that of skilled, experienced and knowledgeable personnel. Beyond the JDA’s own responsibility, all the municipal bodies involved share the responsibility to keep young people in the city.

    The Jerusalem High-Tech Scene in the Coming Years:

    Some 1,000-2,000 new employees will be needed for Mobileye’s new campus. Another company currently building offices in Jerusalem (after many efforts to convince them) is Rafael Advanced Defence Systems. Lightricks is expected to employ 1,000 workers. This is clearly the most significant challenge in the foreseeable future.

    According to a recent document prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem enjoys a substantial research potential, that is as yet to be realized, and the public sector wishes to encourage an accessible all-encompassing municipal system that will enable all companies to grow and develop.

    How can we create a critical mass of talented and qualified people? The key lies in significant investment in young children during the early stages of life, to allow their subsequent integration in academia and the workforce. Technology is not only a subject matter to be studied but also a tool for social mobility. We, therefore, need to combine a long-term process of educating the public with the provision of the right tools.