Israeli Economy Minister Naftali Bennett this week awarded tenders totaling $2.5 million to two organizations tasked with training and integrating more local Arabs into the hi-tech industry.

The two companies, Tsofen and ITworks, will examine hi-tech manpower needs around the country, and accordingly train and provide job placement services for Arab hi-tech students.

“There is a skilled and high-quality workforce in Israel in the form of hundreds of male and female academics from the Arab, Druze and Circassian sectors, available for employment,” said Michal Tzuk, deputy director-general at the Ministry of Economy.

Tzuk further explained that “this program aims to meet these economic and cultural needs, and create a connection between the supply of manpower and the great demand among the employers.”