Center trains Ethiopian-Israelis for high-tech careers
A technology training center for Ethiopian-Israelis trains dozens of students every year for high-tech professions, but many graduates feel disappointed in a state that still sees them as manual laborers.
In the last decade Israeli high-tech firms have become the most desirable workplaces in the local market. Their employees have the most promising careers and rewarding benefits. This work environment stands in stark contrast to the situation of Ethiopian-Israelis in the job market, with unemployment twice as high as the general rate and higher poverty rates than the average. Ethiopian workers are concentrated in the lowest paying jobs in the market.
Over the years, young Israeli-Ethiopians were marginalized. They were pushed aside by society, and turned into ''transparent'' beings, almost. This ongoing discrimination motivated in April thousands on these youngsters to go out to the streets and demonstrate. The extent of this rage, expressed also by violent clashes with the police at the heart of Tel Aviv, took Israeli public by surprise.
But despite their socio-economic disadvantage, young Ethiopians aren’t willing to give up on the Israeli high-tech dream. Leading efforts in this field is the Tech-Career technology training center for Ethiopian-Israelis, established in 2004 by an Ethiopian-Israeli — Asher Elias, 45. The center aims to train youngsters of Ethiopian origin in those high-tech professions which are most sought after.
Elias affirms that the demand among these young people for high-tech professional training increases every year. ''There is no doubt about the fact that more and more youngsters from our community are interested in integrating this industry. I can see that every time I visit a high-tech conference. In every such high-tech faire or conference you can see more Ethiopians within the different working teams,'' he tells Al-Monitor.
