The Aaron Institute will conduct a research to encourage dialogue between the high-tech industry and education, there is a need for a knowledge base about the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that the industry needs
Israel prides itself on being the “Startup Nation” with thousands of entrepreneurs constantly creating technological startups and development centers. Dozens of exits, mergers and IPOs are signed every year, feeding the Israeli economy with creativity and resources that make it strong and prosperous even in difficult times. As a result, many parents hope their children will have a future in the high-tech industry, and therefore push them to excel in mathematics and science studies in school.
Although there is a seemingly high correlation between the 9% of students who excel in the PISA exam at the age of 15, and the 9% of the Israeli labor market that works in the high-tech industry, there is surprisingly no direct dialogue between the industry and the education system. Employers do not express their needs and expectations to educators, and educators rarely consult with employers, as they do not perceive their role as including being responsive to such needs.
In recent years, owing to the success of marketing and sales connections made online, many startups are no longer relocating from Israel to be closer to their markets, but rather maintaining their operations locally where they prefer to grow their business. As a result, they need many more employees with diverse skills-sets that are new to the Israeli workforce, ranging from deep tech developers to marketing, design and finance experts. However, the mismatch in skills between school and work is only growing.
In order to start bridging this gap and to encourage dialogue between the high-tech industry and education, there is a need for a knowledge base about the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that the industry needs. Therefore, we approached the Aaron Institute for Economic Policy at Reichman University (formerly named IDC Herzliya). The Institute is a leader in studying the needs of employment, with special emphasis on high-tech. The head of the Institute is Zvi Eckstein, who chaired the Employment Committee 2030 which laid the groundwork for the current government’s policy on employment.
In response to our request, the Aaron Institute is proposing to conduct a study that will seek to answer the following questions: