Israel Seeking Bedouin, Ethiopian Integration In High-Tech

The Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) and the country’s Ministry of Labor and Employment are investing in programs to integrate more Bedouin and Ethiopian citizens into the high-tech sector. 

The IIA, a Jerusalem-based branch of the government supporting high-tech and industrial R&D, and the ministry are providing a wide range of funding to companies and organizations that will offer work opportunities for inexperienced employees, students, and graduates from these communities. 

The initiative will help provide more infrastructure and tools towards developing the practical training, apprenticeships, and employment opportunities to individuals from the communities. 

Companies and organizations can submit funding proposals, which will be evaluated by the level of innovation and uniqueness, potential for growth and implementation, the inclusion of women, and that ability to integrate underrepresented populations in the high-tech sector. 

The Human Capital Fund will provide grants for requests of up to 1 million shekels for programs in the launch/seed stage and for requests of 1-15 million shekels for programs in the growth/scale-up stage. 

“One of the Israel Innovation Authority’s goals is to integrate human capital from social and geographical peripheries into the high-tech sector, even in these challenging times,” said Israel Innovation Authority CEO Dror Bin. 

“The future of the job market greatly depends on the ability of different population groups to find themselves in high-paying and high-productivity roles,” said Labor Ministry DG Israel Uzan.