Dear Friends,
We all lose sleep sometimes thinking about how we make a living. Our livelihood is the bedrock of our lives, economically and emotionally – it allows us to develop and to ensure that we live in dignity. One of the basic ways of securing work for the unemployed, the elderly, overworked employees and others who seek to improve their economic situation, is through vocational training. However in Israel, this tool is not made available to those who need it most. This is made clear by a new report that ACRI published this week.
OECD countries invest a great deal in vocational training. They know it is the key to a high rate of participation in the labor force, to economic growth, to the reduction of socio-economic gaps and eradication of poverty. So what is happening here in Israel? Over the last 15 years or so, the budget for vocational training has been slashed by 83 percent. The number of people who benefit from vocational training and a variety of educational pathways has decreased accordingly. There are limited vocational training options – the courses are of a low standard, they are not up to date with technological advancements and the budget continues to shrink. In addition, bureaucratic difficulties and other shortcomings prevent the full realization of the few training options that do exist. This policy restricts the livelihood and job opportunities available to hundreds of thousands of people. Some of them don’t have any work, and others have low-paying jobs that don’t allow for any professional growth.
Our new report, written by Michal Dagan and edited by the Director of ACRI’s Public Outreach Department, Attorney Tali Nir, focuses on the people that the State is neglecting: The unemployed, the working poor, the overworked, adults aged 45, those who receive income support and women. Leaving these people behind affects us all.
What can the State do? A lot. The report presents a series of recommendations regarding budgets, legislation, co-operation and partnerships, research and more. Poverty, social gaps and the increasing lack of professional and skilled human resources are a threat to Israel’s economy and society. We hope that this report, which has been presented to policy makers, will start a governmental process that addresses these threats seriously.
Yours,
Sharon
Sharon Abraham-Weiss
Executive Director
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel
