Why the next generation of engineers will drive Israel’s future

As Prof. Ami Moyal sees it, Israel’s most important national resource from both a short- and long-term perspective is its human capital.

“The main growth engine in Israel is its hi-tech sector,” says Moyal, president of Afeka Academic College of Engineering in Tel Aviv, “and the underlying power source that runs this engine is skilled human capital – specifically engineers. I expect that the State of Israel will require many engineers to rebuild and restore our country after the war.”

Afeka, one of country’s top public academic institutions, is focused on leading the way forward in training the engineers, computer scientists, and data scientists who will support Israel’s hi-tech and defense industries and thereby ensure their continued prosperity. The college produces 10% of the engineers entering the workforce annually, with each Afeka graduate contributing an estimated $250,000 to Israel’s annual GDP.

Over the past five years, the Israel Innovation Authority has reported an annual shortage of 13,000 to 20,000 engineers and programmers. Moyal points out that this chronic lack of engineers in Israel is an obstacle to the country’s economic development and national resilience. The hi-tech sector remains an indispensable component of the Israeli economy, contributing nearly one-fifth (19.7%) of the country’s GDP last year and accounting for more than half of its exports. In fact, 40% of the country’s GDP growth in 2018-2023 stemmed from hi-tech.

Importantly, according to Moyal, the events of the past year and the role that Israeli technology has played in the war effort also illustrate that hi-tech is important not only to Israel’s economy but also for its defense and security. “Without quality engineers,” he says, “who will develop Israel’s next Iron Dome?

“The essence of engineering is developing pioneering technologies to improve human life, create a better world, and drive progress,” Moyal further explains. “In this landscape, engineers will be a critical component, not only in the success of Israel’s hi-tech industry and subsequently its economy, but also in the country’s global positioning as a leader in quality human capital and pioneering technology – a positioning that feeds back into the economy through international investments and collaborations.”

For Israel’s aspiring young engineers, there will be ample jobs to fill after the war and in the coming years. Afeka is ready to produce the skilled professionals who can ably fill them, says Moyal, to bring the Start-Up Nation into its next era of postwar prosperity.

One of the emerging technologies used in the engineering and hi-tech world today, notes Moyal, is that of AI, or artificial intelligence. With his extensive background in hi-tech, Moyal is a firm believer in the need to embrace AI at Afeka.

“AI will change the world as we know it and will have a dramatic, yet not entirely predictable, impact on teaching, learning, and research processes,” he states. “Instead of fearing its consequences,” he continues, “AI should be viewed as a technology that enhances the power of the human brain, much in the same way that the invention of the hammer enhanced the power of the human hand.”

In recent years, Moyal continues, the emphasis has begun shifting from merely imparting knowledge – which is readily available and constantly changing – to imparting competencies that incorporate both knowledge and personal skills, such as self-learning, critical thinking, creative thinking, multidisciplinary teamwork, and effective communication. These are essential skills for functioning in modern society and the workforce, but they are also crucial for enhancing learning.

“ChatGPT and similar platforms only make these skills even more vital,” he says. “Until recently, learners were expected to integrate information gathered from various sources into one – a task easily accomplished by current AI solutions.

“However,” Moyal adds as a cautionary note, “the use of AI must be integrated with human intelligence, input, and analysis. The war has taught us about the need to balance the world of AI and other advanced technologies with human intelligence. More than ever before, today’s students need to assess whether the information they are exposed to is well established, coherent, consistent, logical, and validated – all without knowing precisely on what sources the data are based. Then, they must add their own personal, thoughtful, and creative input and analysis. In this way, AI tools can raise the level of instruction on our campuses by integrating them into classroom lectures, homework assignments, and personalized learning solutions.”

How can institutions of higher learning like Afeka continue to train talented engineers, thereby priming Israel’s economic engine? Moyal says the answer lies in the continued promotion of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) studies in the educational system. However, he also points out that higher education in all its disciplines – humanities, science, and culture – will be a significant growth engine for the economy after the war in training human capital to improve the country’s economy and conduct research that leads to technological innovation, breakthroughs, and global leadership.

With the importance of engineers to Israel’s STEM-based economy in mind, and in order to prepare its students for modern industry challenges, Afeka in the past several years implemented a strategic, competency-based educational model. Guided by a predefined profile of Afeka’s ideal graduate that integrates advanced engineering knowledge and professional skills with critical personal skills such as teamwork, independent learning, effective communication, and ethical responsibility, the educational journey of Afeka’s students was transformed into a relevant and meaningful experience that serves as a platform for following personal and professional passions.

Moyal says that the sacrifices made by Afeka’s students during the war must be rewarded by doing everything possible to enable them to complete their studies without lowering the standard of education they receive. “Over 42% of Afeka students have served their country in the war, many for extended periods. It is our duty and moral obligation to ensure that they complete their studies successfully and enter the workforce – for their own personal and professional futures, and for the immediate and long-term stability of Israel’s economy and national security.” 

Afeka College has answered the call by launching the AsOne emergency fundraising campaign to support its student reservists. With the start of the war, the college developed a comprehensive support package tailored to the immediate needs of its students, incorporating a flexible hybrid teaching and learning model, repeating courses throughout the year, academic advising and mentoring, increasing scholarship funding, and individual and group mental health counseling. The support package continues to evolve as student needs change and the situation in Israel develops. 

Moyal comes back to Israel’s most important resource and. in fact, the only resource that the country produces organically – its human capital. “It is the people of Israel – their spirit, ingenuity, and creativity – that have earned our country its reputation as the Start-Up Nation,” he says. “This makes engineers a key component in our country’s future prosperity and security. Supporting engineering students today equates to supporting Israel’s future resilience as an independent nation.”

This article was written in cooperation with Afeka Academic College of Engineering in Tel Aviv.