Israel Innovation Authority aims to double high-tech workforce in 10 years

October 3, 2017 Agencies
Read on for article

The Israel Innovation Authority released its 2017 annual report yesterday, detailing the government’s plans to double the country’s high-tech workforce during the next decade.

In Israel, the world’s largest solar parabolic dish at the Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Centre. (Illustrative photo.) Credit: David Shankbone via Wikimedia Commons.

According to the report, Israel’s high-tech industry is experiencing “unprecedented success.” Yet at the same time, the Israeli economy risks grinding to a halt, and the so-called “start-up nation” is in danger of losing its coveted status as one of the world’s foremost high-tech innovators.

With this in mind, the Innovation Authority aims to boost Israel’s current 270,000 high-tech employees to more than half a million.

Israel is currently ranked first in the world in research and development (R&D) and venture capital investments as a percentage of gross domestic product, with more than 600 new start-up companies being founded in the country every year. The Jewish state is also home to more than 300 R&D centers belonging to tech giants such as Facebook, Microsoft, Intel, Google, IBM and Apple. Israel is also ranked second on the World Economic Forum’s innovation index.

To boost high-tech employment, the Innovation Authority suggested further integrating certain sectors of Israeli society into the high-tech arena—namely, groups that are underrepresented in the field, including haredi Jews, Arabs and women.

The report also outlined methods for assisting local start-ups with growing into larger companies.

JNS.org

Speak Your Mind

Comments received without a full name will not be considered
Email addresses are NEVER published! All comments are moderated. J-Wire will publish considered comments by people who provide a real name and email address. Comments that are abusive, rude, defamatory or which contain offensive language will not be published

Got something to say about this?

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Discover more from J-Wire

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading