The rapid advancements in science and technology are reshaping the economy and transforming the competencies required in knowledge-intensive professions. These shifts demand a long-term, national strategy for developing and sustaining scientific-technological human capital. The Samuel Neaman Institute has been engaged with this challenge for many years. Since 2017, part of the research has been conducted under a competitive grant commissioned by the National Council for Research and Development, focusing on assessing Israel’s scientific-technological workforce needs and the gaps between current training pathways and future labor-market demands.
The project involves identifying and mapping emerging and deep-tech technologies, and the associated training and workforce requirements in each field. The research examines international trends, future scenarios, and the alignment between the higher-education system and the evolving needs of the labor market to pinpoint gaps, shortages, and strategic opportunities.
The methodology combines a review of technological literature, interviews with leading industry and academic experts, mapping of existing training programs, and an assessment of the actions required to develop a skilled, adaptive, and future-ready workforce. These insights form the basis for policy recommendations for decision-makers in government, higher education institutions, and Israel’s national innovation system.
This project contributes to a systematic and up-to-date knowledge infrastructure that enables the State of Israel to prepare for technological and societal shifts, design responsive training systems, and cultivate scientific-technological human capital capable of leading the economy in the decade ahead and over the long term.
