A recent study commissioned by Tel Aviv's Afeka School of Engineering and TheMarker shed light on the development of Israel's high-tech industry amid the Israel-Hamas war, highlighting the growing importance of proficiency with artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
The second “Skills Index Survey”, released at the annual Skills & Tech Conference, collected input from 150 managers who oversee at least 25 employees in tech and other industries between June 3 and 22. The results, assessed on a 10-point relevance scale, highlighted that understanding AI is the most important skill in the modern workplace.
Despite this emphasis, many managers report limited access to AI programs within their companies: High-tech managers rated the importance of AI at 5 out of 10, compared with 3.1 for managers in other functions.
Improving AI skills is ranked as a top priority for managers, with 55% of high-tech managers citing it as their top priority, up from 35% last year. Non-tech managers are also showing increased interest in AI, with 48% of managers considering it a top priority, up from 30% last year. Additionally, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential to effectively use AI, were the second and third most valued skills among managers.
“The need for fundamental skills such as critical and creative thinking remains a priority and has become more important since last year, as these are the skills needed to make the most of AI tools,” said Professor Ami Moyal, President of Afeka University, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking, independent learning and teamwork.
The survey also highlighted the growing value of mental resilience in employees, a skill that wasn't listed among the 13 key soft skills in last year's survey, reflecting the need for mental strength to weather the current wave of war and uncertainty. Many of the tech industry's professionals are reservists in the Israel Defense Forces, and they have demonstrated their resilience by continuing to meet industry goals despite the crisis.
Speaking at the Skills & Tech conference, Google Israel CEO Barak Regev praised the industry's resilience, saying, “For the last decade, tech has been the engine of our economy. It accounts for 53 percent of our exports, yet only 10 percent of the workforce works in it. Think of the possibilities if we increased that to 15 percent.” He acknowledged the tech sector's significant contribution to the economy and its potential for growth.
This year's survey, conducted in collaboration with Rushinek Market Research Agency, looked at 13 soft skills: mental toughness, AI experience, leadership, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, communication skills, proactivity, motivation, creative thinking, ability to work across disciplines, independence, independent learning and problem-solving.
Afeka University Engineering Goals
Afeka College's efforts to commission the research align with the college's mission to transform engineering education and better prepare students for the workforce. Since 2016, Afeka has focused on reinventing its organization to equip students with essential skills. Professor Moyal emphasized that the importance of the high-tech industry during the war made this mission even more important. Despite the fact that more than 42% of Afeka's students served in the Iron Sword War, the college graduated more than 700 engineers on time, ready to support Israel's high-tech sector.
Professor Moyal concluded: “Israel's high-tech industry is a pillar of economic stability and national security, and especially in these times of crisis, the need for skilled engineers capable of innovating and developing transformative cutting-edge technologies has never been greater.”
