If an alien from Mars landed in the State of Israel during the past six months, he would have been sure that the Israelis had been infected with a mysterious virus. No, we are not talking about the coronavirus, but about what is being described as “high-tech fever” – the crazy growth of the Israeli high-tech industry, anonymous start-up companies that, in the blink of an eye, turn into glittering unicorns worth billions of dollars, and the thousands of middle-class high-tech workers who one morning wake to find themselves with millions of dollars in their bank account. A group that has already earned itself the media nickname “The Nouveau Riche”.
And the biggest surprise to our friendly alien, is that all of this is happening against the background of the global coronavirus epidemic. While entire economic sectors were, not long ago, on the brink of collapse, the unemployment rate soared to new heights (that we have already forgotten), and the Israeli economy was just emerging from the worst economic crisis in its history.
How can it be that with the dream of finding a job in high-tech, the higher wages, excellent conditions and the many extra perks, that the Israeli high-tech industry still faces a chronic shortage of professional high-tech workers, which causes many companies to consider creative solutions such as importing workers from abroad?
The shortage of high-tech workers is concentrated in specific professions
The truth is, that the impression one gets from the media, is that due to the shortage of high-tech workers, anyone can submit an application and start working tomorrow, but it is simply not true.
According to the Innovation Authority and Start-Up Nation Central report from the beginning of 2021, more than 60% of the high-tech companies operating in Israel reported difficulty in recruiting employees in 2020. However, the main shortage reported by the companies is in software development, and in particular – software developers with a minimum of 2-3 years of training and experience. These are the “cruiser fighters” of the high-tech industry, who actually develop the products that we are all going to use in the future, and as long as the world continues to become more digital, the demand for these workers is only increasing.
The problem is, that as of today, academic institutions in Israel simply do not manage to train enough graduates each year to meet the growing demand for software development workers. This is the main reason for the employment gap of thousands of workers missing from Israeli high-tech companies. The handful who graduate every year with a bachelor’s degree in computer science subjects is not enough, only widening the gap.
In addition to this, as the bachelor’s degree is mostly theoretical, to provide as much broad and theoretical information as possible in the disciplines of the software worlds, there is quite a gap between the content studied in the degree and the useful knowledge required to work in today’s high-tech industry. This is one of the reasons that many computer science degree graduates simply fail to translate the degree into sought-after professional experience, which high-tech employers are constantly looking for.
Where academia is having difficulty meeting the growing demand for professional development workers in the Israeli high-tech industry, an alternative solution has emerged, that allows even those who do not have a degree in computer science, to acquire a fascinating, dynamic and rewarding career in the high-tech world.
Enter the high-tech industry in 30 weeks – Get to know the leading training program in Israel
High-tech conversion programs or professional training? What is the difference?
Despite the acute shortage of professional software development workers in the high-tech industry, employers simply cannot afford to give up the requirement for relevant professional knowledge in the world of software development. Academic or professional training for software development is a precondition that simply cannot be waived.
This is where the high-tech vocational training programs come into play. Today, you can find a particularly wide variety of “high-tech training programs” of various types in the market: starting with academic and professional training programs that last a month or two in total, and ending with comprehensive training programs that last from six months to a year and beyond.
The problem with software development conversion programs that last less than three months is that it is too short a period of time, which simply cannot include the knowledge and tools needed to develop a real career in software development. Since the world of software development is a fascinating and wide-ranging field, a short program of up to three months will at most include only superficial and condensed information, not something that will really help you integrate into the field in the long run.
Another essential difference between a short and superficial conversion program and quality professional training is that, unlike short conversion programs, which focus on learning and memorizing professional material only, quality professional training will simultaneously focus on developing the skills that will turn you into excellent high-tech workers: professional skills (optimization of effort, accurate time estimation); soft skills (personal effectiveness, interpersonal skills); Technological research skills and teamwork methods within the software development process, simulating real work processes in high-tech companies. All these are essential advantages, which are going to launch your high-tech career to heights you have not known before.
And if professional training is the obvious choice, then the question arises:
How do you choose a professional training program for software development? Print out and save!
Have you decided that you are interested in a career in high-tech? Excellent!
Just before you sign up for the first training program that pops up on Google, we have compiled the questions you must ask in order to choose a professional and successful training program, one that will set you up for a long and successful career in the worlds of high-tech development.
How long does the training program last?
In order to integrate into a professional and long-term career path in software development, you must have practical and in-depth professional training, which will include all the professional information that your future employer expects from you.
How many hours are we talking about?
From our experience, the ideal period of time for a professional and in-depth training program for software development is at least 7 months (in a full-time format), that is, about 1,800 study hours in total. Of course without including more hours of practice and study from home.
What is the content and training method?
Software development is among the most fascinating, dynamic and rewarding professions in the high-tech world. What makes this profession unique, among other things, is the fact that the software developer is required to specialize in a variety of different knowledge bases, where the integration of these is an integral part of being a professional and successful employee in this field.
So what should a software development training program include?
The essential concepts of software development; how programming systems work behind the scenes; recognition and use of common programming languages; Software development methodologies and more. These are, of course, only the basic principles, and from here you continue to accumulate broad knowledge that will allow you to engage in different and varied fields of development after the end of the training.
How is the training delivered?
What is the teaching method and who are the instructors? They say “a good teacher is like a candle: he uses his power to light the way for others”. Although this fact is true in general, it takes on a different importance in the context of professional training. In order for the professional training to pave your way to a career in high-tech, it is very important to make sure that the instructors, who are going to accompany you throughout the training have the professional experience, are well versed in the methodology of the materials they are conveying and use the most effective training method.
Is the teaching method lecture style like in University?
No it is a mentoring method in which the student actually engages in self-study and in groups while doing practical work in development laboratories accompanied by a professional mentor, in a way that simulates practical development work in a high-tech company, including teamwork methodologies accepted throughout the industry. This is the best way for you to prepare for the high-tech job market.
What is the company’s business?
In order to ensure that you will receive the most up-to-date, practical and suitable knowledge and training for the high-tech labor market, it is important to make sure that the body behind the training program has actual experience in the high-tech industry, with an emphasis on business relationships and cooperation with leading companies in the industry, as well as activity in research and development that takes place in the company itself. The team that guides and accompanies you should also be engaged in research and development. This allows the outstanding people, who are interested, to stay working in the company where they trained as software development personnel with a fast promotion track.
How will the training help you integrate into the high-tech world?
If you are unsure if a specific training program includes a high level of professional knowledge, which will enable your future career in the world of software development, our suggestion is to follow the employers.
Most Israeli high-tech companies are aware of the training programs available in the market, and the company’s that decide to regularly recruit graduates from a specific training program is the best proof that the training is tailored to the needs of the industry, provides you with the necessary tools to work in the world of software development, and which will really prepare you for work every day in the high-tech industry.
A training program that includes an active and proven placement rate in the industry is another important step in the selection considerations.
And finally, what is the cost of the training?
A professional training program is first and foremost a future investment, with the potential for a dream return that you cannot achieve in any other way. And that’s even before we talked about the sense of satisfaction, interest and challenge you will gain from a successful career in one of the most dynamic, challenging and sought-after professions in the global job market.
There is a considerable difference in the cost of training between the high-tech training tracks. While the market currently has a selection of high-tech training programs at high costs (tens of thousands of shekels), the market also includes training programs of a different model, which are offered free of charge subject to the commitment of the graduate to work in the company after the training, for a fixed and predetermined period of time.
As fresh graduates of software development training, the second option is undoubtedly better for you. Instead of paying tens of thousands of shekels in advance for professional training and hoping that it will help you get a job in high-tech in the end, you benefit from both worlds: you enjoy professional and comprehensive training at no cost for a profession that is in demand in the market, and you guarantee your first job and significant experience in the high-tech world… and the added bonus is that the company’s interest is the same as yours – to introduce you in the best and most professional way to the high-tech world, so that when you make a profit, the company also makes a profit.
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