The Government on Sunday is launching a wide-ranging advertising campaign to encourage the employment of non-Jewish academics.  The campaign has been initiated by the Prime Minister’s Office Authority for the Economic Development of the Arab, Druze and Circassian Sectors in cooperation with the Industry, Trade and Employment Ministry. The campaign is designed to raise awareness of the issue while breaking stigmas and call attention to the incentives that the state offers employers.

The campaign was preceded by research in which the integration of this population in the employment market was evaluated. It was found, inter alia, that the rate of employment among Arab sector academics is 81% in comparison to 90% in the Jewish sector. However, many Arab sector academics are not employed in the profession in which they studied.  Thus, for example, only 1.3% of those who studied high-tech professions are employed in the field, while 50% are employed in teaching.  The study also shows that there is a significant wage gap between the populations.  In 2009, the average salary among Arab sector academics was NIS 7,255 in comparison to NIS 12,120 in the Jewish sector.

A survey carried out among employers showed that the main impediment to the employment of non-Jewish workers is prejudice and discrimination by the employers: 22% of employers surveyed responded openly that they discriminate against candidates from the Arab sector and 25% expressed prejudice against such candidates.  In this context, it should be noted that 94% of employers that employ, or have employed, minority sector workers are interested in absorbing additional non-Jewish workers.  However, only 65% of employers that have yet to employ non-Jewish workers expressed willingness to do so.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that better integrating minorities in the labor market is a national interest for the State of Israel.  “We must create conditions that will enable the full integration of Arab sector academics in the labor market.  In the State of Israel, there is no room for discrimination against this or that group and we are committed to uphold equal opportunity for all.  The Arab sector is a main growth engine for the Israeli economy, which has yet to be fully utilized, and I believe that their integration into the labor market will contribute not only to the Arab sector, but to the State of Israel as a whole.  I am encouraged by the data which show that the decisive majority of employers who have already employed minorities would be pleased to employ more and we must encourage this trend,” the Prime Minister said.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)