Approved by the government: the national plan for the increase and development of human capital in high-tech

The main points of the decision: a high-tech education program from the current school year, increasing the amount of underrepresented populations in high-tech, adapting the world of academia to high-tech, encouraging immigrants to integrate into the Israeli high-tech industry, more high-tech professions in the civil service and foreign experts for Israeli high-tech

Prime Minister Yair Lapid, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Orit Farkash HaCohen and Minister of Education Yifat Shasha Biton approved in the government a decision aimed at increasing and developing the workforce in high-tech, with an emphasis on populations that are not currently represented in the industry.

The main points of the program:

1. The high-tech education program will start already this year - the program for assimilating technological, cognitive and digital skills necessary for integration into the labor market of the 21st century according to the age group. The pilot of the program will begin this year in approximately 600 eighth graders in approximately 120 schools and approximately 1,500 compulsory kindergartens, with the service expected to expand the program to additional eighth and ninth graders in the following year, while giving priority to the periphery, to the point of full deployment in all schools.
2. Populations underrepresented in industry - the government adopts the goals of the Ministry of Innovation to increase 4500 workers from the Arab society, 2800 workers from the ultra-orthodox society and at least 45% of the authority's kashrut will be for women.
3. The Perlmutter report - the government adopts the interim report of the committee headed by Dedi Perlmutter, in which it was recommended, among other things, the new method of counting tech professions - which also includes work in technological professions in traditional companies such as banks.
4. The Israel Tech program - the program that will locate and bring those entitled to the Law of Return with a relevant education to work in high-tech to Israel. The program will lead to a real strengthening of the high-tech industry in Israel, to strengthening the relationship with the Diaspora Jews and to positive diplomacy for the State of Israel. The goal is to integrate at least 1500 employees in the years 2022-2026.
5. Increasing the number of foreign experts - to increase by 2,000 the number of foreign experts coming to Israel to work in high-tech companies, in the years 2022-2026. In order to help meet the target, the Innovation Authority will operate a support center for the high-tech industry, which will assist high-tech companies in removing bureaucratic barriers that make it difficult to bring workers to the high-tech industry from abroad.
6. Establishing an inter-ministerial team to lower barriers - which will examine in depth the bureaucratic barriers facing any target audience interested in coming to Israel and will offer recommendations on how to reduce the barriers.
7. More high-tech in academia - a 20% increase in the number of students studying high-tech subjects in universities and 30% in universities.
8. Gender equality in industry - a program to encourage gender equality in the high-tech industry in Israel led by the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology and the Authority for the Advancement of the Status of Women whose goal is to implement practices of gender thinking in companies in the high-tech industry.
9. Civil service - mapping and formulating plans for the integration of workers in the high-tech and science professions in the public sector.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid: "I welcome the proposal and the cooperation with the Minister of Innovation, Orit Parkash and the Minister of Education Yifat Shasha Biton.

We are committed to dramatically strengthening the Israeli high-tech market. Education from a young age for high-tech and the expansion of representation and roles are necessary steps, it is right in terms of values ​​and right financially.

Our government does not speak in terms of preserving the existing, but of breaking forward. Israel has the data and the potential to be one of the ten most successful countries in the world, this program is a good start for that."

Minister of Innovation Orit Parkash HaCohen: "When I took office, I made it my goal to give every child in Israel an equal opportunity and to integrate more populations into the Israeli high-tech industry. To this end, I initiated an education program with the Minister of Education in schools and kindergartens, which has been launched this year, in 600 1500th grades and about XNUMX compulsory kindergartens.

The government's decision adopts this important program that will have to continue and expand in the following governments for the benefit of the children of Israel. As for the employment of more Israelis in hi-tech - the government decision that I brought today adopts and gives effect to the Perlmutter report that I initiated and adopts the employment goals that I set as government policy for the coming years. I thank the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education for the cooperation."

The Minister of Education, Dr. Yifat Shasha Biton: "Exposing children from kindergarten age to innovation, technology and advanced English, alongside a new program in middle schools, is important for making the field more accessible to all Israeli children, and will help reduce gaps and create equal opportunities. I thank the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology and the Prime Minister for the fruitful cooperation."