The chip giant NVIDIA is planning a new location in the North of Israel, further north than its current Yokne'am site, which will open a giant window of opportunity for thousands of talented people on the geo-social periphery, especially among the Arab community.
This news from world tech leader NVIDIA has immense transformative potential; it can dramatically change the employment and opportunity landscape across the entire North.
Through this emerging move, global NVIDIA recognizes the resilience of the Israeli economy and the quality of its human resources in the North and other peripheries.
Additional global high-tech companies could follow NVIDIA’s move to the North.
While the giant company is, of course, looking for a physically defined location, in essence, the most important aspect of this move is in the human capital.
The company’s advantage lies in being one of the most diverse employers in Israel today, with proven experience in managing diverse teams.
The North is a rich and unique human mosaic: Jews and Arabs from various communities. Half of the North’s residents are Arab, making up 70% of Israel’s Arab society. These diverse communities have lived and worked side-by-side for many years.
Until now, they, as well as others from peripheral communities, have had to migrate to central Israel in search of quality high-tech jobs.
NVIDIA’s move brings employment opportunities closer to home in the North, but this is only a first step. The potential for significant integration of thousands of academic talents is enormous.
Thousands of Israeli-Arab students in STEM professions waiting for their career to begin
There are currently over 10,000 Arab students in STEM professions just waiting for the opportunity to become part of the knowledge-intensive industry. Their integration is not only a matter of social justice, equal opportunity, and skill utilization but also a paramount economic and national interest, especially at the current time.
The Israeli economy will need all the talent it can recruit in the aftermath of the war to prosper and forge ahead. The largest pool is to be found in the Arab community.
Given the complex mosaic of the North’s human capital, long-term success depends on proactive planning. It is vital that NVIDIA – and any major company that follows – commits to creating conditions that nurture social cohesion.
It must invest in a work environment that embraces and empowers all local human capital, that values diverse perspectives, encourages intercultural dialogue, provides a safe space for connective discourse, equips management tiers with tools to facilitate this with employees, and ensures equal opportunities for advancement.
This expansion to the North also offers a crucial opportunity in promoting quality employment for women – and in particular mothers who need to balance family life with employment in central Israel that requires long commutes.
Many women from northern communities, while possessing high-tech and scientific skills, have been forced to forego careers or settle for jobs that do not fully utilize their potential.
A local NVIDIA campus can remove this barrier, enabling thousands to integrate a high-tech career without sacrificing proximity to home and family, thereby boosting the female workforce in the North and its socio-economic development.
Such an environment will ensure genuine inclusion, not just symbolic integration, of the diverse communities. It will be essential to foster a deep sense of belonging among all employees, regardless of their background, including Jews, Muslims, Druze, and Christians. Creating it requires a deliberate effort.
Companies need to be aware of unique barriers and tailor their screening and recruitment processes to allow local talents to shine.
Identifying local talent and investing in dedicated training and preparation programs, such as those offered by Tsofen-Tashbik, will help bridge professional and cultural gaps and optimally prepare graduates for industry demands.
This is the only way to ensure that technological flourishing translates into sustainable economic and social prosperity for all residents of the North, strengthening the connections and shared values between communities, and enhancing the resilience of Israeli society as a whole.
The establishment of the new campus by NVIDIA is a welcome milestone.
The writer is CEO of Tsofen-Tashbik.