Gvahim, an organization that teaches olim how to integrate in the Israeli workplace and economy will kick off the ninth cycle of its program with an event entitled "New Olim, New Heights for Israel!" that will be held today at the Ben Shemen Youth Village.
As part of the event, President Shimon Peres is expected to talk about the importance of the olim in Israeli society. Also speaking at the ceremony will be Yair Shamir, Chairman of Israeli Aerospace Industries, who will present the group's development plans. Shamir is also the chairman of Gvahim. He said that the advantages olim offer to the workplace are often underrated by companies.
"After making great efforts to bring people here, we often forget the potential and capabilities olim bring with them," Shamir said in a statement on Wednesday. "Absorption and academic integration of the olim in our society and economy is vital to us. Successful absorption of an immigrant family contributes to the national economic security of Israel more than a thousand bombastic statements."
Gvahim was founded in 2006 by the Rashi Foundation and a group of prominent Israeli businessmen with the support of AAEGE Israel (French universities' alumni network) and AMI. The group gives a three-month course to help immigrants understand the Israeli market, learn how to find relevant jobs, create resumes and succeed in job interviews. The course also gives the olim a chance to gain familiarity with Israeli business people and companies. Israeli professionals aid the immigrants in their job search while they are part of the program.
The 40 olim in the current course come mostly from the United States, France, Costa Rica and Morocco. Over the past three years, the association has helped more than 250 new immigrants integrate into the workplace with jobs at companies like Motorola, KPMG Somekh Chaikin, NICE, love, Makhteshim Agan, Peugeot, Amdocs.
Dr. Michael Ben-Saadon, CEO of Gvahim said in a statement that one of the goals of the absorption process is "finding a job, which provides not only a livelihood but also a social infrastructure for the immigrant.
"Many olim who returned to their countries of origin after an unsuccessful absorption in Israel indicated that the main reason for leaving was their career," Ben Saadon said.
The program began in March 2006. Among the first 130 participants of the project, 77 percent found a job in less than six months and 75 percent of these say their employment fits their professional skills and academic level.
