The Israeli job market is quite dynamic.  Market conditions are often changing, and the result is that the demand for different workers in different professions is also changing.

Vocational retraining (in Hebrew called hasavah) provides a new entry point, both for academic and non-academic professions, for people who want to break into a new field that holds professional promise. They also enable people to “upskill” – to take their current skills and enhance them to meet current market needs.

There are both government-sponsored bodies and private institutions that offer retraining courses subsidized by the government.  Government-subsidized courses are almost exclusively taught in Hebrew.  Private courses in English are likely to be more expensive and cover a narrower range of professional options than governmental courses- but can prove most valuable career-wise.

There are many private training schools whose goal is to increase your skills in marketable professional fields.  While these programs won’t guarantee you a job, some offer actual project work for Israeli companies or internship-type placements that allow you to build skills, experience Israeli work culture, and build critical networking connections. Many of these courses are in the hi-tech space but include areas beyond programming such as Project and Product Management, Data Analysis, Digital Marketing, QA, UX/UI, etc. Some examples of these courses can be found HERE. The list is not comprehensive, but rather representative of the types of courses that are available to you. You are encouraged to research and seek approval for additional courses you identify that will bolster your marketability. Some courses are offered in English. It is important to connect with former graduates of these courses to help determine the true value of a particular course in finding the job you want.

These courses are sometimes approved for the Voucher program benefit, but very often are not. Check here to see if your course is listed as well as with your local Misrad Haklitah branch for approval. To learn more about this option please click here.

The number of academic and professional courses offered on the Internet is vast and covers the entire range of professional fields. Courses are offered at university level, or skilled professional level, for free or for very low cost.  The opportunities are tremendous and the monetary investment is very low. Such courses can help bolster your skills and knowledge sufficiently to improve your resume, enough to land you a new job or improve your current one.However, these courses require a high degree of self-discipline, and offer no support in helping you network or find a new job in the experience-focused Israeli job market.

Partial listing of course providers:
Coursera, Udemy, Lynda, Udacity (google searches will yield many indices of online courses)

Design Lab – UX/UI courses. Unique in that they provide mentor -based training by geography, including with mentors locally in Israel (thereby providing real networking, market insight and career opportunities.

Microsoft/Linkedin joint initiative- launched in summer 2020 with the goal of helping 25 million people worldwide acquire the digital skills needed in today’s economy. This initiative identifies top careers plus online courses to help individuals acquire relevant professional skills for those jobs, all interfaced with actual jobs posted on LinkedIn in each relevant field. For more information:

Microsoft: https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/06/30/microsoft-launches-initiative-to-help-25-million-people-worldwide-acquire-the-digital-skills-needed-in-a-covid-19-economy/

Linkedin: https://opportunity.linkedin.com/skills-for-in-demand-jobs

Full list of subsidized courses (Hebrew)

Subsidized courses are available to olim through local colleges (michlalot) and privately-run approved courses. Lists of such courses are available here (in Hebrew): www.coursim.co.il.

Vocational Training–Misrad HaKlita provides partial subsidies for a broad range of courses through the Voucher Program.  Many are non-academic and do not require a college degree. See this searchable list of approved courses: https://www.gov.il/Apps/Moia/OnlineForms/courses/en

Note: Always check with your local Misrad Haklitah office regarding course availability and start dates (courses begin when there is sufficient registration). The lectures are given in “easy Hebrew”.

Professional-Hebrew focused Ulpan– In addition to your basic ulpan benefit, you may be eligible for additional “next-level” ulpan focusing on professional Hebrew for the job market in general, as well as industry specific options, such as the regularly offered Medical Ulpan for healthcare professionals. Improving your level of Hebrew will always be beneficial both in terms of professional opportunities open to you as well as your general integration in Israel.

Check with your local Misrad Haklitah, regarding Ulpan for Professional Hebrew and other specialized ulpan courses.

Vocational Assessment Services– This is available for olim within certain professional parameters, as determined by Misrad Haklitah. The service includes a meeting with a Vocational Psychologist followed by a series of career assessment tests and recommendations for career directions. Schedule a meeting with your local Misrad Haklitah branch for more information and to check eligibility for this service.

Courses are available for olim who are registered with the Government Employment Services (Lishkat Hataasukah) as job-seekers. Make an appointment with Lishkat Hataasukah. An advisor (yoetz hasama) will determine whether a course will teach you a marketable skill or upgrade your current skill-set to make you more marketable. If you have a college degree, bring a copy of it with you so that you will be considered for options better suited for academics.Courses available are in conversational Hebrew and cover an extremely broad range of professional areas, from carpentry and landscape design to electrician and LINUX administrator.   Courses are generally 5 days a week during daytime hours. https://www.taasuka.gov.il/he/Applicants/CareerDevelopment/pages/professionalcourses.aspx
Lishkat hataasuka also offers courses in basic computer skills, in order to support those who need to upgrade their technical skills in order to find employment more quickly.

If you are an oleh chadash – (within 10 years of your aliyah) and are considering starting a small business in Israel  — including freelancing, small/medium size business, consulting, or any entrepreneurial work —  you are eligible for support and guidance through MATI- Business Development Centers. MATI offers counseling, courses, and workshops (including in English) designed to help your small businesses get off the ground, and to help you administer and successfully promote your business.

Misrad Hachinuch occasionally runs courses for people who have academic degrees and want to retrain as English teachers. For more information about available courses, speak to your local office for Morim Olim (immigrant teachers). For contact information, please see section marked “Teaching English” here .

Even after completing a vocational course, landing a job in a new field can be challenging. Many employers are only interested in hiring workers who already have relevant experience. You can improve your chances of finding employment by gaining some of the necessary experience. Some companies will hire people without experience for entry-level positions, and while the pay is low, it is worthwhile accepting this type of position if this will help you move into a higher paying job/position afterward.  You can also seek out short-term project work that will help build your experience as well as develop critical networking connections that are important in “getting a foot in the door”. 

* Last updated on September 6, 2022 *

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