Motorola Semiconductor Israel (MSIL) is inaugurating an R & D center in the industrial area of Omer, which is good news for students in the south. According to a statement by company president, Israel Kashat, the main reason for
setting up the center in that region is to be close to Ben-Gurion University student and graduate reserves. This is a new company strategy in personnel recruitment: Motorola Semiconductor "discovered" a technological reserve in the south and wants to be the first to take advantage of this most valuable resource.
The new center is intended to participate in MSIL developmental projects, namely: digital signal processors, communications processors, processors for the automobile industry, processors for Power PC computers and Multimedia (including the development of a powerful new processor - GFLOS8 that the company is developing).
According to Kashat, the R & D center will initially participate in two projects, one in the field of data communications and the other control systems for the automobile industry.
"Globes": Will the R & D center in Omer be manned by students from the south?
Kashat: Definitely. The company firmly believes in the cooperation and
contacts established with Ben-Gurion University. We believe it has the potential of being a first class high-tech training source, particularly in view of its growth and expansion in recent years.
Motorola Semiconductor recruits a relatively high percentage of students. Shula Gonen, MSIL Human Resources Manager, relates that today, the company employs
100 students in addition to the 350 regular staff. This is a sizeable increase, both in terms of manpower and tapping the potential of the academic pool. Only two years ago, a mere 15 students were employed at the R & D center, alongside 240 regular staff.
In order to have high accessibility to students in the south, Motorola decided to invest independently in nurturing contacts with Ben-Gurion University. This includes donating lecturers and refresher courses, allowing students to produce their thesis within the framework of their work at Motorola and giving grants to students who excel. In addition, the company participates in labor fairs and initiates information sessions. According to Gonen, the advantages of having been a pioneer in the region can already be felt at Motorola.
"Globes": It appears you prefer to recruit inexperienced students.
Gonen: Of course the company does not object to hiring experienced workers. The difficulties that arise with them are not necessarily to do with salaries, but rather with experienced workers who previously held senior positions, wanting to hold senior managerial positions here. "Planting" an outsider in a managerial position creates tension with veteran employees whose advancement is hurt by this.
She believes that the cost of employing students and inexperienced workers is not low. Students may earn NIS 30-40 per hour, and engineers start at NIS 9,000 -10,000 a month, with rapid advancements promising salary increases.
"Globes": You prefer outstanding students?
Gonen: The company does not look for the most outstanding. Experience shows that it is not the average mark that matters. We have employees who arrived with less brilliant marks and were successfully integrated
because they have organizational skills.
So far, 25 employees from the south have been recruited to the R & D center in Omer,
some of them still studying for their degree. They will be joined by an additional 10 employees from the R & D center in Herzliya, two of whom are key staff in charge of development. At the moment, Motorola Semiconductor is looking for key staff for a third area of development. According to Israel Kashat, by the end of the year, 50 employees will be working in Omer.