Our Programs

Women Empowerment Program (WEP)

WEP is designed for women ages 18 to 35 from the social and geographic periphery of Israel. The course was initially created in partnership with Cisco Systems and the Joint Distribution Committee Israel (JDC) to train Arab and Jewish women for skilled employment.  Since its creation WEP has helped hundreds of low-income and disadvantaged women, their families and their communities by providing the technological tools and professional skills needed to work in Israel's thriving technological industry.  

The intensive eight-month program teaches participants advanced technological skills, including; computer training, internet network professional training, management, web support and marketing technology leading to a Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician (CCENT) certificate. This training is accompanied by professional development workshops in which participants learn how to write a resume, how to prepare for an interview, how to search for a job as well as their rights as women in the workplace. The program provides the basis for building a new career and embracing a new future.  

Program participants reflect the cultural diversity within Israel. Many participants are unemployed and the remainder work in low-wage, unskilled positions. WEP participants demonstrate high learning potential and motivation for personal and professional growth. When women enter the technological market after completing WEP, they experience professional success while promoting diversity and gender equality in the labor market.

ExcelHT

The ExcelHT is a dual-track program initiated in 2008 in order to assist hi-tech students from the ethnic Druze minority in training and preparation for technological careers. ExcelHT is a joint initiative between businessmen, public figures, and Jewish philanthropy and has been made possible by the Prime Minister’s Office, Cisco, and the “Tevet” employment initiative sponsored by the JDC.

ExcelHT addresses the cultural and social challenges faced by the Druze community in its integration into the Israeli technological industry. Participants learn how to enhance their personal  and professional skills in order to break the glass ceiling for Druze in hi-tech. Outstanding hi-tech university students and graduates are given the opportunity to increase their employability prior to entering the job market through leadership workshops, interview preparation and meeting with employers. Participants are provided with the opportunity to address the issues that arise in working in the technological industry within their own communities and how to cope with the traditional barriers that have negatively affected them in their job search or workplace.

The primary goal of the program is to assist Druze and Circasians in accessing the prestigious hi-tech market. By finding jobs befitting their skill-sets, participants contribute to the overall socioeconomic advancement of the Druze and Circassian communities.

There are two tracks for ExcelHT:

The Leadership Track is comprised of ten exceptional Druze students from prestigious Israeli Universities. The program focuses on developing leadership skills for managerial position within the technological sector. 

The Employment Track, developed in cooperation with the Prime Minister’s Office recruits two hundred Druze students annually. Participants are students who are studying non-technological degrees, but wish to pursue a career in the technological market. The ExcelHT program will help Druze students identify practical and rewarding career paths prior to graduating from University.

WorkIT

The WorkIT program teaches technological and employment skills to Druze and Circassian men and women, who are unemployed or working in unskilled positions. The program is implemented in partnership with Tevet (an employment initiative sponsored by the JDC) and IT Works. WorkIt is a unique program that aims to increase the number of Druze and Circassian workers in Israel's technological industry, thereby encouraging other members of their communities to seek out vocational training and overcome the traditional divide between Israeli society and the Druze and Ciracassian minorities.

The technological curriculum is supplemented by employment workshops in which participants learn how to write their resumes, initiate contacts with employers, and leverage themselves in the field. Interview simulations are tailored for Druze and Circassian participants in order to address their specific needs. Students are assisted beyond the duration of the program with their job searches. IT Works serves as a support network for participants during the course and beyond. Participants enter the technological workforce with a Cisco certification ready to work.

Technology Accessibility Placement (TAP)

TAP was developed out of the belief that people with cognitive, intellectual and sensory disabilities should not be confined to low-paid, unskilled position and should also benefit from the career opportunities provided by Israel's position as a global, hi-tech leader.

TAP is an intensive fourteen month program that provides free technological training, which leads to an internationally recognized, networking-technician certificate from Cisco Systems. Participants also attend professional development workshop alongside the technological training, which focus on professional skills development.

By working with occupational therapists and other collaborators with extensive experience in assisting people with disabilities find jobs, the program ensures that participants have the necessary tools, confidence and support to enter the technological job market.

Following the completion of the course, participants will undergo on-the-job training at technological companies as lab technicians for two months. Each participant is then assisted in finding a position in the technological sector to best meet their abilities and potential.

Youth Empowerment Program (Taasuka Dotcom)

Taasuka Dotcom is a holistic program aimed at youth-at-risk that combines technological education with volunteering and personal mentoring. The aim of this program is not only to teach vital technological skills, but also to identify and nurture the individual's potential; giving them the social tools and confidence to become successful adults.

The one-year program is open to all Jewish and Arab teens between the ages of 16 and 18, who have already dropped out of high school. The majority of students will have shown or are showing risky behavior that will affect their ability to continue their education and gain skilled employment. Many of them have behavioral problems and learning disabilities, which are exascerbated by poverty and lack of familial support. 

Taasuka Dotcom is a preventative program seeking to promote financial independence, education and socioeconomic mobility for disadvantaged youth.