Over recent years, we have witnessed a worrying phenomenon in the Israeli labor market.
Many young people, when seeking a fast way to fit into thriving industries, forgo academic studies and take short professional courses. This phenomenon, which has grown stronger of late, or as I call it: “the illusion of the quick course,” leads to a labor market rife with semi-professionals, who are only partially trained – which harms them as well as the Israeli industry.
Indeed, those professional courses that promise to provide speedy, practical training do provide the basic tools for entering the labor market. However, they are far from inculcating the depth of knowledge, theoretical understanding, and critical skills that are acquired during academic degree studies, especially in the fields of engineering, economics, and the exact sciences.
For example, a software course, meant to teach how to write code in a certain computer language, does not provide the mathematical foundations, nor an understanding of the complex system, nor does it promote the ability to do algorithmic thinking – which are the bases of all technological development.
The same is also true of courses in capital market management; as good as they may be, they cannot replace academic studies in economics and accountancy.
A consequence of this trend is that young people become stuck in entry-level positions, with no viable means to advance to senior or more complex positions. The minute they reach the glass ceiling, they all too frequently discover that the only way to progress is closed to them due to their lack of the required academic education.
Even industry itself is harmed. The leading companies in the Israeli economy need well-trained professionals with deep knowledge and broad understanding, able to cope with complex challenges and to lead innovation.
Those semi-professionals, prepared only by means of brief courses, tend to be limited in their abilities to contribute at that level – which may have a negative impact on the quality of the end products, thus diminishing the ability of Israel’s industry to successfully compete in the international market.
It must also be noted that today, there are academic tracks that combine both worlds. Besides universities, colleges like SCE offer degrees in computer sciences, engineering fields, and even in designated fields, such as software and cyber, that combine the necessary theoretical bases with practical training suited to market demands.
Such tracks provide the best of both worlds – a comprehensive academic education along with the practical tools for immediate immersion in industry.
Don't be tempted by shortcuts, invest in your future
I’m calling out to young people who are still debating: Don’t be tempted to take shortcuts! Invest in your future and choose a recognized academic track that will not only give you the immediate tools but also a firm foundation for long-term development.
Combine your academic studies with focused professional training so that you can secure yourselves a rewarding, professional future.
In parallel, the Education and Science and Technology Ministries should take action to make higher education more accessible, to increase the number of scholarships, and to encourage cooperation between academia and industry. They must develop plans that will enable young people to integrate their work and studies, thus removing those economic barriers that may drive them to choose shortcuts.
The hi-tech sector, one of the key engines for growth in the Israeli economy, is a blatant example. To safeguard our status as a “Start-Up Nation,” we must make sure that this branch is based on top-notch professionals with deep, comprehensive training, just as it should be in the fields of chemistry and pharmaceutics, planning, civil engineering, and architecture.
From a national perspective, there is no substitute for a high-quality academic education, since it is the key to long-term success on both the levels of the individual and of our entire economy.
The writer is founder of SCE, the Sami Shamoon College of Engineering.