Tech-Career Newsletter
Rosh Hashana
2026
From the Desk of Takele Mekonen
Dear Friends and Partners,
This year has been one of significant growth and new opportunities for Tech-Career. We have expanded our programs, strengthened our partnerships, and continued to open new pathways for Ethiopian Israelis to build careers and futures in Israel's high-tech industry.
Throughout the year, even as Israel continued to face a complex and challenging reality, Tech-Career adapted and moved forward. We broadened our training programs and reached an increasingly diverse group of participants, including young adults, discharged soldiers, parents, and academics pursuing career transitions. Our programs are now offered both residentially and in hybrid formats, at our Lod campus and through our northern branch in Haifa.
One of the most significant developments this year was Tech-Career’s selection to lead a new joint initiative with Israel’s Ministry of Labor. The initiative will dramatically expand our ability to reach Ethiopian Israelis nationwide, supporting entry into high-tech and technology careers and broadening access to engineering, other academic studies, and professional technology training. It represents an important new stage in Tech-Career’s growth and in our partnership with the Israeli government.
At the same time, construction of our new Lod campus continues to move forward, with its opening planned for 2027. The new campus will allow us to serve more students, expand our programs, and create a permanent home for the next generation of Ethiopian Israeli tech talent.
None of this would be possible without you. Your support and partnership enable Tech-Career to continue opening doors, creating opportunity, and strengthening both the Ethiopian Israeli community and Israel’s high-tech industry. I am also deeply grateful to our dedicated staff and Board of Directors for their commitment to this mission.
Wishing you and your families a happy, healthy, and peaceful New Year,
Takele Mekonen
Strategic Update: Introducing "Wodefit"
Tech-Career is entering an exciting new chapter with the launch of Wodefit (“Forward” in Amharic), a new national initiative in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Labor. Designed to reach approximately 2,000 Ethiopian Israelis annually, Wodefit will significantly expand the pathways available to both high-tech careers and technology-related education.
Building on more than two decades of experience preparing Ethiopian Israelis for careers in high-tech, Wodefit marks an important expansion of Tech-Career’s work - from individual training programs to a broader national framework supporting Ethiopian Israelis at different stages of their education and career journeys. The initiative operates through two complementary tracks:
The Technology Training and Placement track will prepare approximately 300 participants annually for in-demand roles in Israel’s high-tech industry. Around 12 training cohorts are planned each year in fields including QA, Salesforce, COBOL Mainframe, Data Analysis, Cybersecurity, QA Automation, and Networking & Cloud. Programs will be developed in close collaboration with employers, with curricula aligned to actual industry needs and practical on-the-job training incorporated wherever possible. Applied AI tools will also be integrated throughout the training.
The Education Exposure and Guidance track will reach approximately 1,600 participants each year, helping them explore and pursue academic degrees, practical engineering studies, and professional technology training. Participants will receive personalized guidance and support to identify the educational path best suited to their goals, with a target of 800 participants enrolling in further studies each year.
Initial activities are already underway. In July, 150 potential participants joined Wodefit’s launch webinar, together with representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Labor, and Olim Beyahad. The first education exposure cohort will begin in September, while new technology training programs will open through the end of 2026.
For Tech-Career, Wodefit represents both an important milestone and a significant opportunity to bring the experience, partnerships, and model developed over 24 years to a much broader population of Ethiopian Israelis across the country.
Recruitment: Growing Demand for Tech-Career Programs
Demand for Tech-Career’s programs continues to grow. Since April, more than 750 prospective participants attended information sessions, with over 160 computerized assessments and 100 personal interviews conducted as part of the selection process for upcoming courses.
Each selection process tailors to a specific training program, helping us identify the right candidates with the motivation and potential to succeed in intensive technology training and build lasting careers in the industry. This growing interest reflects both the need for accessible pathways into the high-tech industry, and the trust that Tech-Career has earned within the Ethiopian Israeli community.
Training Program Highlights
Two Tech-Career courses are currently in full swing, a Networking & Cloud course that commenced on August 25th and a Cybersecurity course that has been underway for several months, both preparing students for in-demand tech careers. A third course celebrated its graduation just last week, with students presenting their final projects. Looking ahead, a new Cybersecurity course is set to begin mid-September.
Network Administration & Information Security – Class 72
Launched in December 2025 in partnership with the Ministry of Defense’s Department for Discharged Soldiers and Reservists and IITC College, this cohort includes 16 students training in network administration and information security.
Students completed all three of the program's major certifications - CCNA, CCNP, and FCP - a notable achievement given that several students were called to reserve duty and had to make up missed studies on their return. Responding to industry needs, the curriculum expanded to include a dedicated week of AWS cloud training, and hands-on labs in Linux, networking equipment, and Active Directory.
Career preparation ran throughout the program. Students completed HR interview simulations at Cognyte, visited TSG to learn about cybersecurity operations and to meet Tech-Career alumnus Haviv Goshen, a SOC manager at the company. They also presented technical projects to an industry panel at Payoneer and participated in intensive technical interview simulations with professionals and senior managers from Imperva, Nayax, Torii, AT&T, and Cisco.
The course concluded at the end of August, with seven students currently in recruitment processes at leading technology companies including Check Point, Internet Binat, and TSG.
Cybersecurity & Information Security – Class 73
Class 73 launched in March 2026 in partnership with the Israel Innovation Authority and IITC College. The 23 students - 19 men and four women - began their studies remotely during the war with Iran before transitioning to in-person learning at Tech-Career’s campus.
Students gained theoretical and practical experience in cyber and information security through technical exercises, labs, and hands-on work with physical networking infrastructure. They completed their CCNA certification and will soon prepare for Linux and Fortinet certifications.
Alongside technical studies, participants engaged in Tech-Career’s career-development track, which includes personal branding, CV development, interview preparation, and strategic job-search skills. They also participated in workshops on time management and financial literacy, and a LinkedIn workshop led by alumnus Adir Gasasa. A recent learning day at TSG provided students with additional exposure to cybersecurity professionals, workplace environments, and current industry expectations.
Tech-Career’s second northern cohort launched in April 2026 in partnership with QualityAI (formerly Qualitest) and Ono Academic College’s Haifa campus. Nearly 70 candidates attended a regional meetup as part of an extensive recruitment and selection process, which produced a cohort of 21 participants, including six women as well as several parents.
Delivered in a hybrid format three days a week, the course combines theoretical training in software testing with hands-on work designed to replicate real workplace environments. Students recently completed and presented two projects to industry professionals, gaining experience in teamwork and problem-solving.
Industry engagement is central to this program. Students meet recruitment teams from QualityAI and other leading firms and present their work to team leaders at Bank Hapoalim. Most importantly, they start interviewing before finishing their training: every student participated in at least two job interviews, with several advancing through recruitment processes at Intel, Elbit, Israel Electric Corporation, and ReSense. Four students are currently undergoing security-clearance at Elbit.
Industry partnerships are particularly significant in northern Israel, where employment opportunities are more limited than in central Israel. Tech-Career's close partnership with QualityAI and other employers gives students direct access to opportunities across Haifa, Yokneam, and Netanya, strengthening the connection between high-quality local training and meaningful employment.
Software Testing – Class 74, Northern Branch
Launched on August 25th in partnership with the Israel Innovation Authority and IITC College, this hybrid course answers a pressing industry need. Designed as an evening program, it allows working participants pursue advanced studies alongside their daily routines. Over the next six months, students will complete 250 hours of intensive study, work hands-on in advanced labs, and meet for in-person sessions on campus twice weekly.
Beyond technical expertise in networking and cloud, the course includes a significant career-development component to prepare students for a dynamic job market, equipping them with essential employment skills alongside their technical training. There is a real sense of excitement in the air, and we can't wait to see where this cohort's journey leads.
Networking & Cloud - Class 75
Industry Placements
Despite the slowdown in Israel’s high-tech sector and the challenges facing junior candidates, Tech-Career graduates continue to secure positions across the industry. Recent placement results include:
DevNet 68, Northern Branch
Nine graduates joined companies including Israel Electric Corporation, HOT, and OMC, with additional graduates continuing through recruitment processes at companies including Ness Technologies, Wix, and others.
QA & Automation, 70
Seven graduates secured positions at Ness Technologies and through the internship track at QualityAI. Additional graduates are advancing through recruitment processes with Bank Hapoalim, Ness Technologies, and other employers.
QA 74, Northern Branch
As the course sets to end, three students have signed contracts and started working at Intel, four are in advanced security clearance stages ahead of joining companies in the defense industry, including Intel and Elbit, and the remaining students are in interview processes with other companies.
DevNet & Cybersecurity, 67
16 of 18 graduates secured positions at companies including Check Point, Cognyte, Bezeq, Bynet, HOT, and Pelephone.
DevNet & Information Security, 69
Eight graduates secured positions at companies including One Technologies, Malam Team, Experis, Check Point, and Cisco.
Recent job placement results stand out at a time when employers offer few entry-level technology positions. They reflect both the strength of Tech-Career's training and the intensive career preparation and employer engagement behind every course.
Heritage & Identity: Building the Future on Strong Foundations
As we approach a new year, Tech-Career continues to strengthen the connection between professional growth, identity, and belonging, encouraging students to understand where they come from as they build where they are going.
In May, the Tech-Career community gathered at the Beta Israel Memorial on Mount Herzl, honoring Ethiopian Jews who perished on their journey to Israel. Students and staff joined CEO Takele Mekonen in sharing personal stories and reflecting on the courage, determination, and sacrifice of thousands who never completed the journey. Walking through the memorial, reading names, and lighting candles offered a powerful reminder that the opportunities built today are rooted in the sacrifices of the generations that came before.
That connection to history continued in August, when Tech-Career welcomed Micha Feldmann, former head of the Jewish Agency delegation in Ethiopia and later Israel’s consul in Addis Ababa, who played a key role in Operation Solomon. Feldmann shared his firsthand account of the historic 1991 operation, which brought 14,310 Ethiopian Jews to Israel over a single weekend from a besieged Addis Ababa.
As Tech-Career prepares to move into its permanent campus, this commitment to identity and heritage is also shaping our future home. Working with interior and graphic designers, we are developing a visual and cultural identity for the new space so that the building itself reflects the history, heritage, and sense of belonging at the heart of the Tech-Career community.
In this way, heritage at Tech-Career is not something we merely remember. It is something we carry forward – into our community, our careers, and the home we are building for future generations.
Heritage & Identity: Building the Future on Strong Foundations
As we approach a new year, Tech-Career continues to strengthen the connection between professional growth, identity, and belonging, encouraging students to understand where they come from as they build where they are going.
In May, the Tech-Career community gathered at the Beta Israel Memorial on Mount Herzl, honoring Ethiopian Jews who perished on their journey to Israel. Students and staff joined CEO Takele Mekonen in sharing personal stories and reflecting on the courage, determination, and sacrifice of thousands who never completed the journey. Walking through the memorial, reading names, and lighting candles offered a powerful reminder that the opportunities built today are rooted in the sacrifices of the generations that came before.
That connection to history continued in August, when Tech-Career welcomed Micha Feldmann, former head of the Jewish Agency delegation in Ethiopia and later Israel’s consul in Addis Ababa, who played a key role in Operation Solomon. Feldmann shared his firsthand account of the historic 1991 operation, which brought 14,310 Ethiopian Jews to Israel over a single weekend from a besieged Addis Ababa.
As Tech-Career prepares to move into its permanent campus, this commitment to identity and heritage is also shaping our future home. Working with interior and graphic designers, we are developing a visual and cultural identity for the new space so that the building itself reflects the history, heritage, and sense of belonging at the heart of the Tech-Career community.
In this way, heritage at Tech-Career is not something we merely remember. It is something we carry forward – into our community, our careers, and the home we are building for future generations.
Tech-Career’s High-Tech Internship Program
Tech-Career's internship program, supported by the Israel Innovation Authority, continues to provide Ethiopian Israeli graduates of technological training and academic programs with the practical experience needed to enter Israel's high-tech industry.
The program enrolled 49 interns to date, 40 of whom completed their six-month internships. Nineteen participants secured employment at companies and organizations including the Ministry of Defense, Sony, Nayax, Cognyte, Elad Software, QualityAI, and Gini-Apps, while another three chose to pursue academic studies following their internships. Eighteen additional graduates are in recruitment processes with companies including Check Point, Ness Technologies, and Elbit. As of August 2026, nine interns are still actively participating in the program. One recent success illustrates the model's potential: QualityAI offered an intern a permanent position after just two months.
Internship participants gain more than hands-on experience; they also receive ongoing professional support. This spring, Tech-Career launched Tech Talk, a new initiative for graduates still searching for employment four months after completing their training. Biweekly sessions cover topics such as entering high-tech as a junior candidate, job searching in the age of AI, and learning from graduates who successfully navigated the process. These sessions help participants maintain momentum, build confidence, and approach the job search more strategically.
The program's longer-term impact is visible at Cognyte, where a professional community of 15 Tech-Career alumni developed over the past two years. What began as individual placements has grown into a network of graduates building careers alongside one another – a powerful example of how opening the first door can create opportunities that extend well beyond a single internship.
Tech-Career’s Alumni Community:
A Network of Opportunity
Tech-Career’s alumni community now numbers more than 1,800 graduates, creating an increasingly powerful professional network that continues to open doors long after participants complete training.
Throughout 2026, we expanded opportunities for alumni in employment, professional development, higher education, entrepreneurship, and networking. Alongside the Tech Talk initiative and professional events with leading companies including Wix and Check Point, we launched HiTalk, a new series in partnership with 8200 Beta that connects alumni directly with companies and industry professionals. The series launched with BioCatch, and AT&T joins in September.
New opportunities also help alumni continue their education. Through a partnership with Ono Academic College, eligible Tech-Career graduates can now receive recognition for up to 25 academic credits toward a degree, creating a valuable bridge between professional technology training and higher education.
Entrepreneurship remains another growing area of activity. Through Tech-Career’s partnership with the Haile Scale accelerator, alumni gain access to tools, networks, and opportunities to develop their own ventures. This year, Tech-Career alumnus Oozy Bitew and his venture, AfriX, took first place in Haile Scale’s second cohort – an exciting achievement you can read more about below.
Behind these activities, we continue to strengthen the infrastructure of the alumni community itself. Active WhatsApp and Facebook groups provide a year-round platform for sharing job openings, referrals, professional advice, events, and development opportunities, while ongoing surveys help us better understand graduates’ changing needs and respond to the realities of today’s job market.
The coming months will offer even more opportunities to connect. An employer fair is planned for Tech-Career graduates, and on October 13, 2026, hundreds of alumni, industry professionals, employers, and partners will come together at Cognyte for Tech-Career’s annual alumni conference, focused this year on the future of Israeli high-tech.
Our goal is to build an alumni community that does not end when a course finishes – a network that continues to open doors throughout graduates’ careers, while enabling them to create opportunities for the next generation.
Haile Scale Celebrates Cohort 2 with Tech-Career Alum Taking Top Spot
We are proud to share that our partner, Haile Scale, recently wrapped up its second cohort with an inspiring Demo Day at Reichman University, where Tech-Career graduate Oozy Bitew and the AfriX team took first place and received the Haile Scale Grant.
The evening drew notable support for the mission of expanding opportunities for Ethiopian Israeli entrepreneurs in Israeli high-tech. Professor Uriel Reichman, Founder of Reichman University, delivered opening remarks, while Ethiopian Ambassador to Israel Tesfaye Yitayeh expressed interest in building bridges of innovation and collaboration between Israel and Ethiopia.
As one of Haile Scale’s partners, we are excited to see the program grow alongside its partners at FORE Executive Education, the Israel Innovation Authority, Google, Reichman AI Tech School, and Vision Elements. It is especially rewarding to see a venture led by a Tech-Career alumnus gain momentum on this stage. Congratulations to Oozy and the entire AfriX team on their impressive achievement.
Haile Scale is now preparing to screen applicants for its third cohort, scheduled to launch in October 2026, following the holidays.
Partnerships that Open Doors
Tech-Career’s work is strengthened by an extensive network of partners across Israel’s high-tech industry, government, academia, and civil society. These relationships help ensure that our training remains closely aligned with the changing needs of the industry while giving students and graduates direct access to professional expertise, employers, and new educational and career opportunities.
Over the past six months, partnerships with leading technology companies continued to deepen. Students participated in learning days at TSG, Cognyte, and Payoneer, while dozens of professionals and recruiters from companies including Rafael, Align Technology, Israel Electric Corporation, Nayax, Infinidat, BigID, AT&T, Cisco, Workday, and Cato Networks volunteered to conduct interviews, provide professional feedback, and prepare students for the realities of the job market.
Some of these relationships have developed into long-term pipelines. Cognyte is one example, where an ongoing partnership has grown alongside a community of Tech-Career alumni now building careers there, showing how a connection that begins with training, volunteering, or recruitment can become an enduring one between a company and Tech-Career graduates.
Our partnerships also expand beyond employment. As part of Wodefit’s new education pathway, Tech-Career works with academic and professional institutions to help Ethiopian Israelis identify and pursue further studies. In September, participants will meet representatives from programs and institutions including Bar-Ilan University’s Yoel pre-academic program, Atidim, The College of Management Academic Studies in Rishon LeZion, and Achva Academic College, gaining direct exposure to educational paths that can lead to future careers in technology.
Together, these partnerships create an ecosystem of opportunity around Tech-Career’s students and graduates – connecting training with industry, education with employment, and individual talent with institutions that can help it thrive.
Developing Role Models in the Community
Developing Role Models in the Community
Tech-Career expanded its community volunteering initiative for a third cycle, in partnership with FIRST Israel, Hama’apilim Elementary School in Lod, and F5. Students from our Cybersecurity, DevNet, QA, and Network Administration & Information Security courses volunteered with more than 160 first to third graders, introducing them to robotics and technology through hands-on activities.
Beyond giving back to the local community, the program creates an important opportunity for Tech-Career students: young Ethiopian Israeli women and men building their careers in technology serve as visible role models for the next generation. By sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm, they help children see technology, and themselves, in new ways.
Tech Path: Alumni Inspiring the Next Generation
Tech Path, Tech-Career's initiative with Sha'ar Shivyon and Cognyte, recently completed its first cohort, which introduced 17 teenagers from the AMIT Youth Village in Petach Tikva to the world of technology and innovation.
The program combines technology exposure with mentorship and relatable role models. Participants visited Cognyte’s offices to explore advanced technology fields and experience a high-tech workplace firsthand. Cognyte employees, in turn, joined the teenagers at their youth village, where the roles reversed and the young participants became hosts, welcoming their mentors onto the basketball court and sharing an activity from their world.
At the heart of the program are Tech-Career alumni working as developers and engineers at Cognyte, who led the technology sessions and mentored participants. For these teenagers, meeting professionals who share similar backgrounds and have built successful careers in high-tech offers something beyond technical skills: a tangible example of a future they can imagine for themselves.
By bringing together technology, mentorship, and personal connection, Tech Path opens new educational and career possibilities for young people while giving Tech-Career graduates a chance to pass their experience on to the next generation.
English B’Yachad: Building Skills and Confidence
Tech-Career's partnership with Skilled Volunteers for Israel has supported more than 600 students and alumni through English B'Yachad. The program pairs participants with volunteers to strengthen English skills essential for today's high-tech industry, from spoken communication to CV development.
One participant captured the impact: “I definitely feel that my English has improved. I’ve learned so many things I didn’t know before, and I know I will master the language. I’m very happy for this opportunity to work with my mentor. She is an excellent teacher and someone with knowledge of and experience in the United States.”
We are sincerely grateful to the many volunteers who make these relationships possible, and to CEO Ms. Marla Gamoran for a partnership that helps our students and graduates grow their English skills.
Alumni Spotlight
Yair Azaria – A Journey from Developer to Startup Founder
My name is Yair Azaria, and I’m a proud graduate of Tech-Career’s Full Stack Development program, Course 32, (2018-2019). Today, I’m the Co-Founder and CTO of a startup. We are currently conducting market research and meeting with prospective customers in the United States to assess demand for our product. Looking back, it’s remarkable how a single decision changed the course of my life. After high school, I served in a classified IDF unit and continued for another year and a half as a career soldier. Following my release and a long trip abroad, I returned to Israel knowing I wanted a real challenge. A childhood friend who had graduated from Tech-Career told me it was much more than a training program - it was a place that truly prepared people for careers in high-tech. A few days later, I enrolled. What made Tech-Career different wasn’t only the technical education. It was the people. The instructors, mentors, volunteers, alumni, company visits, interview preparation, and genuine commitment to every student’s success created an incredible support system. Just as importantly, Tech-Career deepened my connection to my Ethiopian heritage and showed me that, as an Ethiopian Israeli in high-tech, I have a role to play in shaping a more diverse and representative industry for the next generation. My first role was at a software company developing MVPs and POCs for startups. Instead of working on a single product, I learned how to build products from scratch, work directly with customers, understand business problems, and adapt quickly to new technologies. Those early experiences created the foundation for everything that followed. Eight months later, COVID-19 hit and the company let everyone go. Rather than wait for another opportunity, I created one. I began working as a freelance developer, managing everything from finding clients and defining requirements to developing and delivering products. It taught me to take ownership long before I had the title. Later, I joined Viz.ai, where I spent more than four years as a Full Stack Developer. I helped build a new web platform from the ground up, worked across frontend, backend, and core systems, handled production incidents, and contributed to technology used by thousands of hospitals and millions of patients. Building software that helps save lives gave my work a deeper purpose. While at Viz.ai, I joined the Haile Scale entrepreneurship accelerator at Reichman University. That experience gave me the tools and confidence to turn an idea into a real venture. Today, I’m building my own company and pursuing the dream of creating products that solve meaningful problems. Tech-Career didn’t just help me build a career; it changed the direction of my life. It also expanded my family’s and community’s sense of what is possible. My younger siblings, cousins, and other relatives now see high-tech as something they can also achieve. If my journey inspires even one more young Ethiopian Israeli to believe that they belong in this industry, I will know that I have given back to the community that believed in me.
Maayan Elias – A Journey of Perseverance and Vision
My name is Maayan Elias, and I’m a graduate of Tech-Career’s Full Stack Development program, Course 54. Through the course, I gained both professional skills in software development and the confidence to take my first steps into the high-tech industry. Before Tech-Career, I spent four years working as an educator. It was meaningful work, but over time I realized that I was ready for a new challenge - one that would push me beyond my comfort zone and allow me to build an entirely different professional path. Making that change wasn’t easy, but I wanted the opportunity to grow and enter a field that genuinely interested me. After completing the course, I spent nearly a year searching for my first position. It was a challenging period, but I persisted. Eventually, I joined BioCatch as a Technical Support Specialist, beginning my career in a global high-tech environment and working with complex systems and processes. After approximately a year, I advanced within the company and today work as a Service Operations Specialist, monitoring system performance, troubleshooting issues, collaborating with different technology teams, and preparing reports for clients. My path hasn’t always been easy, but it has reinforced for me how important persistence, curiosity, and confidence are in building a career. Tech-Career gave me the skills and the confidence to make a significant professional change, and I’m proud of how far I have come, both professionally and personally.
Tech-Career in the Media
Globes: He Trained Hundreds of Programmers and Now Heads a Startup Generating Tens of Millions
Read the Globes article in Hebrew
Channel 10: The Ethiopian Israeli Community’s High-Tech Revolution
Maariv: The Young Generation of Ethiopian Israelis Making Its Way into the Heart of Israeli High-Tech
Read the Maariv Article in Hebrew
Israel Hayom: When AI Starts Engineering Viruses from Scratch, It’s Time for Checks and Balances — by Shoshi Tessema-Nagosa
Capital Project Update
We are delighted to share continued progress on our new Lod campus, with construction moving steadily forward and remaining on schedule.
Inside, the building’s frame, flooring, plumbing, and interior plaster are complete across all three floors. Electrical, air conditioning, and sprinkler systems have been installed, restroom and shower tiling is finished, and the gypsum partition and ceiling work on the ground floor is finished.
Outside, the building is taking its final form. The first plaster layer and the colored decorative render are complete across the entire building envelope, with Alucobond cladding and aluminum installation underway. Roof and balcony waterproofing continues to progress, and the balcony pergolas have been installed.
Every step brings us closer to opening the doors to our permanent home for the next generation of Ethiopian Israeli tech talent. We are deeply grateful to our partners whose faith and support are helping turn this vision into reality.
