Despite the large number of Israeli-Arab high-tech graduates at universities and colleges, the doors of high-tech companies are closed to them. Only 6,000 of Israel’s 207,000 workers in high-tech industry and services are Arabs, according to Center for Jewish-Arab Economic Development (CJAED) presentation on the integration of Arabs in high-tech.
Arabs comprise 3% of Israel’s high-tech workforce. Jewish high-tech employees account for 10.5% of the total Jewish workforce, where as Arab high-tech employees account for 2.7% of the total non-Jewish workforce.
Sikkuy - Association for the Advancement of Civic Equality in Israel Affirmative Action and Fair Representation director Yaser Awad said barriers to the entry of Arabs into high-tech included the practice of hiring through social networks, which exclude Arabs, and their lack of experience with military technologies.
Most international high-tech companies insist that their Israeli subsidiaries hire employees from all population segments, which ought to prevent discrimination against Arabs, except that the policies are not implemented in practice. 2,000 of 11,000 Israel-Arab students are taking degrees in engineering and the exact sciences, but Awad says few believe that they will find high-tech jobs, and therefore apply for teaching jobs or positions at computer supply stores.
Awad said, “Confidence building measures should be taken so that an Arab candidate for a high-tech will be accepted or rejected on the basis of his skills, not for other reasons. Today, some Arab candidates despair before they even apply.”
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on June 27, 2006
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