TECH-CAREER
TECHNOLOGY TRAINING CENTER FOR ETHIOPIAN ISRAELIS
OUR VISION
Tech-Career was founded in 2002 by Asher Elias and Glenn Stein, two high-tech professionals and social entrepreneurs who believed in the potential of employment in high tech as a timely and effective means of improving the socio-economic status of Ethiopian Israelis. Tech-Career was modelled on Stein's successful U.S. non-profit venture which launched low-income Washington D.C. residents into computer careers. Following Tech-Career's success, Elias, himself an Ethiopian Israeli computer programmer, gained widespread recognition for his leadership in Israel society and internationally.
Tech- Career strives to break the employment barriers with which young Ethiopian Israelis are confronted and open a window of opportunity for socio-economic mobility, by paving the way into the competitive and lucrative high-tech industry. Our graduates acquire the skills and tools that enable them to attain high-level employment, manage professional careers with above average salaries and climb the socio-economic ladder.
Tech-Career is the only organization that provides Ethiopian Israelis with a comprehensive service package of training, career preparation and job placement in high tech fields in great demand. Tech-Career graduates break the glass ceiling, make an impact on their families and community, and are the nucleus of a leadership group that is changing the image of Ethiopian Israelis in society.
ABOUT US
High tech is one of the most in demand and rewarding fields in the Israeli job market -- but it remains out of bounds for many Ethiopian Israeli young adults because of socio-economic constraints. A disadvantaged and underemployed population group, nearly half of the community of about 152,000 lives on or below the poverty line. Household incomes for Ethiopian Israelis are 20% lower than the Israeli average and community members are overrepresented in low-earning sectors and are not integrated in many well-paying fields. Tech-Career offers young adults a game-changing opportunity to break the cycle of low-wage employment and poverty through technological training, career preparation and placement and pursue rewarding careers in high tech. If it were not for the opportunity to enroll in Tech-Career courses, many young Ethiopian Israelis would likely take on readily available jobs in low-wage, low-skill fields to meet their immediate needs.
Tech-Career also addresses the urgent need of Israel’s high tech industries to increase the number of professional employees. This creates an important window of opportunity for Tech-Career to provide young Ethiopian Israelis - and now also to other groups for which high tech is inaccessible - with the technological knowledge and soft business skills in order to fill this gap, and thus launch sustainable careers which will enable them to enter the economic and social mainstream.
Tech-Career's training model
Since its establishment in 2002, Tech-Career has successfully implemented a comprehensive, innovative model that includes:
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Professional technology training courses which provide practical hands-on experience.
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An atmosphere of success – Tech-Career's model limits external distractions and ensures that students devote their undivided attention to their challenging studies. Tech-Career provides nearby housing arrangements and a broad array of services that make students' lives easier during their studies and allow them to succeed.
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Career development program which includes: workshops, job interview simulations, visits to high tech companies, internships and mentoring by experienced high tech professionals.
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Placement assistance to ensure optimal employment of graduates in professional positions in the industry.
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Volunteering and community involvement – Tech-Career students give back to the community through various social and volunteer activities. After they graduate and begin their careers, many return to volunteer as tutors and mentors for Tech-Career students.
Who are our students?
Our primary target audience is Ethiopian Israeli women and men aged 21-35 from all over Israel, who have graduated high school and completed their military or national service.
Watch our inspiring graduates talk about their experience at Tech-Career
OUR COURSES
Full Stack Software Development
Automation Development
Data Analyst
Data Scientist
SOC Analyst
DevNet Engineers
Salesforce Implementers
Courses for new audiences
Tech-Career is extending our successful model to new audiences with the potential and motivation to succeed in Israeli high tech industries:
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Ethiopian Israelis…
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With tech academic degrees but without networks, practical tools and/or soft skills necessary to succeed in the industry
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Single mothers
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Additional population groups with little or no access to the high tech industry: Arabs, ultra-Orthodox, special needs and social periphery
Fast facts about our courses
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20-22 students in each class
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24/7 access to state-of-the art computer labs
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Courses are 400-800 hours long
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Courses are carried out in collaboration with industry leaders
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All courses combine theory with hands-on practical experience - real projects and internships with industry partners – and with career preparation and mentoring
HOW WE MEASURE SUCCESS
Certification and placement:
At least 85% of graduates pass international certification exams; at least 85% of graduates are employed in the industry within six months of course completion
Graduates are employed at a variety of top companies,
including: Intel, Bynet, IBM, ironSource, Oracle, Check point, HP, Wix and more.
Job retention and career development
Our records show that 95% of graduates remain in their companies for at least two years and once they gain experience, move on to management or "expert" positions.
A financial springboard
Tech-Career graduates earn salaries well above the Israeli average. Initial salaries for our graduates range from ILS 8,000-14,500, well above their previous income. After about one year, salaries increase by 20-50% and may double within two years.
Over 800 Ethiopian Israeli young adults
have taken part in 40 professional training courses in the most sought after fields in the high tech industry.
More than 680 graduates
have integrated into the high tech industry -- most are the first in their families
to have done so.
In the past six years
97% of Tech-Career students
completed their courses successfully and
97% passed international certification exams
The placement rate of graduates is now 90%
and continues to rise (an increase of over 27% in the past five years).
Tech-Career engages leading companies
and provides students with on-the-job training opportunities, practical internships, final projects, Hackathons (WIX, Check Point, Huawei, eBay, Bynet and startup companies), and job interview simulations (Facebook, Taboula, F5, Palo Alto and more).
The Team
Board of Directors
Hezi Kalo
Board Chairman
Hezi Kalo served as Director General of the Bank of Israel from 2008-2020. Previously he filled a number of roles at Clalit Health Services - VP of Human Resources and Information between 2003 and 2008 and VP of Planning and Information during 1998-2003. Hezi holds a BA in Political Science from Haifa University and is a graduate of the National Security College (with honors). Hezi has completed numerous continuing education programs in management and IT, including a specialization in Information Technology at Harvard University (July 2005) and a Directors course at Tel Aviv University (May 2008).
Eyal Gichon
Treasurer
Eyal Gichon is a seasoned CFO with extensive experience in high-tech and other SMD companies, including Orckit Communications, Egged Transportation (as manager of the economic department), Itong Israel, Ayehu Software Technologies, Evolven Software, and others. For the past ten years Eyal has been a self-employed, part-time CFO of several startups, in which he establishes and manages their financial departments, including the legal, HR, and administrative responsibilities. Eyal is very involved in community service in Tel Mond where he lives, and volunteers as a commanding officer in an elite IDF paratrooper brigade.
Dr. Dvora Blum
Dr. Dvora Blum has vast experience in strategic planning and the non-profit sector, among other fields. She has served as the VP of JFNA/UJC and director of the Institute for Immigration and Social Integration at Ruppin Academic Center and in other key roles at the JDC and Elka. Dr. Blum earned her PhD from the University of Sussex in England
Joseph Avi Yair Engel (Jucha)
An expert on tourism and agriculture, Jucha served as a top advisor to President Shimon Peres. Today, Jucha is retired, volunteers with a number of social initiatives and serves on Tech-Career's board of directors
Tal Eyaso
Tal was born in Ethiopia, and made the perilous journey to Israel via Sudan in 1984 as part of Operation Moses. He served in the IDF for nine years and enrolled at Tech-Career in 2008. Today, Tal is employed at Shimkotek, a subsidiary of Ludan. He is a volunteer tutor at Tech-Career and successfully encourages his company to recruit suitably qualified Tech-Career graduates.
Avinoam Faltin
Avinoam served as senior manager in Tadiran's and Bank Mizrachi-Tefahot's computer divisions. He has also served as a consultant to the Bank of Israel and the Ministry of Education. Avinoam joined Tech-Career's board in 2014.
Chen Halio
Chen has worked in Israel's IT industry for about 20 years in several organizations: the IDF, Israel Discount Bank, Phoenix Insurance Company. He has held key management positions, has run software testing units (QA) and set up a robotics unit (RPA). Chen holds a degree in Computer Science from the College of Management. As part of his role at Israel Discount Bank, he recruited a large number of Tech-Career graduates. Chen volunteers as a mentor and accompanies graduates as they prepare for high tech careers. Chen currently manages the "customer journeys" field as part of the digital transformation processes at the Phoenix Insurance Company.
Tsuriel Horin
Tsuriel is a high tech executive with over 30 years of experience in senior level positions as CEO of FRM and VP and board member of IBM Israel, HP Israel and EDS. Tsuri joined Tech-Career’s board in 2015
Einat Karniel
Einat Karniel is an organizational consultant with vast experience in high tech companies, varied commercial firms and academic and educational institutes. Einat earned a Masters in Industrial Engineering from the Technion and joined Tech-Career's Board in 2012.
Andres Kukawka
Andres is an international senior management and technology consulting professional with experience in the US, Israel, and Europe. Andres joined Tech-Career's board in 2012.
Gabriel (Gabi) Mizrachi
Gabi is a business executive leader with over 20 years of broad experience in the global high-tech industry. Gabi is an entrepreneur at heart and specializes in innovation, international business development, business strategy, and financing. He has founded and served as advisor for mature corporations as well as for early stage startups. A "people person" Gabi's greatest passions are innovative technologies, working with and empowering others, volunteering and social action.
Vlad Slutzkin
Vlad has worked in Israel’s high-tech industry for over 27 years. Vlad earned an M.Sc. in Computer Science and an MBA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Vlad has been involved with Tech-Career since the organization was founded and joined the board in 2008.
Lina Slutzkin-Katz
Lina is a software engineer with extensive experience including managerial posts at Intel, and has encouraged employees to serve as volunteers at Tech-Career since its earliest days. Lina joined Tech-Career's Board in 2008. Lina now manages the family winery Kadma, which produces wines in the Judea Hills using ancient wine-making techniques.
Genetu Tsegaye
Born in Ethiopia, Genetu came to Israel via Sudan in 1989. Genetu worked at Tech-Career as pedagogical director and is also a Tech-Career graduate. He earned a BSc in Information Technology and has been working as a QA engineer since 2011. Now employed at Shlomo SIXT, Genetu joined Tech-Career's board in 2012 and volunteers as a mentor and in other capacities
Daniel Weil
Daniel is Co-founder and Partner of Esteban Solutions. Daniel has 16 years of experience in entrepreneurship, makers' spaces, social and educational change. Daniel was the CEO of XLN, an international network of technological, educational 3D printing and maker spaces, and CEO of TOM, a global movement of communities, connecting makers, designers, developers and engineers helping people with disabilities. Daniel also founded Mahshava Tova, a non-profit organization for empowering disadvantaged communities through technology. Daniel joined Tech-Career's board of directors in 2016.
Micha Weis
Lt Col (ret.) Micha Weis served in the IDF's air force and intelligence corps for 26 years, most of the time as a Cyber Security Officer. Micha retired from active duty in 2006 and became a CISO in one of the most innovative banks in Israel. In 2016 Micha become an advisor at the Ministry of Finance. Since 2017, Micha has focused on Cyber Security at finance sectors.
Shmuel Quittner
Audit Committee
Shmuel has served as MD at Orbot Pacific (a subsidiary of Orbot Systems) and has held leadership and managerial roles in a number of Israeli and international high-tech firms. He became a volunteer mentor for Tech-Career in 2011 and joined the board in 2012.
Shai Tamir
Shai is an entrepreneur and lecturer who served for some thirty years in the IAF as a fighter pilot and in senior management positions. Shai was discharged with the rank of colonel. Shai has extensive experience in senior management in the field of Information Technology. He has led strategic processes, developed complex programs and analyzed risk for billion-dollar programs. Shai joined Tech-Career's board upon his release from the IDF.
Oozy Bitaw
Hiwot Yimer
Audit Committee
Hiwot immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia in in 1986. She joined Tech-Career's Board in 2002.
MEET OUR GRADUATES
Israel Mangisto
QA course graduate
2008
What brought you to Tech-Career?
I've always been interested in computers. In high school, I majored
in Biology and Computer Science. Then when I was in the army, I
spoke with a cousin, who was a student at Tech-Career at the
time. From what he told me, Tech-Career seemed great,
interesting and suitable for me and the kind of career I was aiming
for. So when I finished my service I applied.
What do you do today and where do you see yourself in the future, career-wise?
The course I took was in cooperation with John Bryce College. In the framework of Tech-Career's partnership with them, they suggested I participate in a pilot program and to be a lecturer. After the training period, I lectured for John Bryce for two years and realized I really like teaching.
After teaching for two years, I decided to combine it with practical work at a high tech company in order to gain technical knowledge and experience. I worked in manual and automated QA positions at startups, at Matrix and Retalix, 888 and Como. I took on
management positions – at Como I was a team leader and at BringBring I was the head of the QA department.
An entrepreneur at heart, I decided to take the plunge and use the knowledge I accumulated in my ten years in the industry to realize my dream. Today I own a consulting company, BUGit, which offers a variety of services: testing project management for companies in various fields (medicine, finance, retail and more), implementing testing and automation processes, training QA professionals (both
inexperienced and experienced). I am also a partner in a startup in the Data Science field which I really believe in.
Throughout the years, I continued to be involved at Tech-Career – as a board member, as a volunteer tutor and mentor, and as a QA instructor. Since I opened my company, I also involve Tech-Career students and graduates in some of my projects, and this allows them to gain experience that will help them integrate into the field.
What did the course mean for you?
It was extremely significant. It was one of the best and most important decisions I ever made, both personally and professionally. I got to where I am today thanks to Tech-Career and I grew and matured. I came to Tech-Career at the age of 22. I lived in dorms with my peers and that makes you grow up, take responsibility and deal with the pressure of many different tasks and a tight timetable.
What's your tip for course graduates just starting out in high tech?
Professionally, the most important thing is to keep learning and gaining more xpertise. Technologically speaking, Tech-Career is just the beginning; things get even more challenging later on. You need to be in a mode of constant learning, hold on to your personal values and always remember: "Nothing is impossible, I AM POSSIBLE!"
Yaffa Balete
Web-Windows course graduate
2017
What brought you to Tech-Career?
When I completed my National Service, I began thinking about what I'd like to do in the future. I knew that the high tech world offers a wide spectrum of employment opportunities and saw myself joining the field. After doing quite a bit of research, I came to Tech-Career. I connected to the vision and platform Tech-Career offers and when I talked to staff, I understood that it was right for me, started the application process and was accepted.
What did the course mean for you?
The supplementary services Tech-Career offers made the experience really powerful for me. Beyond the course itself, which was full of professional technological content, there was accompaniment by volunteer tutors, experts from the field, who were available to us 24/7. There was also a career preparation program which included job interview simulations, and visits to high tech companies which were useful for getting jobs afterwards.
What do you do today and where do you see yourself in the future, career-wise?
Starting out I was a bit concerned how I would manage but I quickly realized I had found my place. This is my second year working at IBM and I really like my job and the company. I'm also doing a BA in Industrial Management at Sapir College.
In the future, I see myself advancing in the field. I would really like to work in southern Israel and believe the south will continue to develop and that there will be more great jobs.
What's your tip for course graduates just starting out in high tech?
From my experience, when you finish the program, it's important to make a big effort in your job search and not give up, even if it takes time. It's important to keep on learning and developing professionally and personally.
"Always stay enthusiastic and motivated because things can only get better…"
We'd like to talk
We are always looking for new opportunities and collaborations. Feel free to contact us.