Career advancement or a complete career reset are good reasons to take professional courses. Government organizations and educational institutions have figured out that many olim are in the market for courses in English that will jumpstart their career and help them accomplish their professional goals. Course topics are varied and cater to lots of different interests. Here are some of the more popular ones.
Graphic design
The ability to create aesthetically pleasing graphics is useful in many professions, from educator to marketer. Even if you’re not artistically inclined, technology makes graphic design attainable. Canva is a popular online program for creating graphics for all sorts of purposes. It’s not difficult to use but you can learn tips and tricks by taking a course. High-level courses for future graphic designers are also available.
AI
Artificial Intelligence is taking over the world with its abilities to generate texts, images and videos that can be used for presentations, marketing materials, educational content and more. As with any tool, if you know how to use it well the results will be better. A course in AI will teach you to harness the potential of the various popular AI tools and allow you to accomplish work tasks more quickly and effectively.
Programming and cyber
Hi-tech is one of the most lucrative career paths in Israel and many jobs in this field don’t require extensive knowledge of Hebrew. Many olim choose to retrain in this field after they have made aliyah. Courses vary from beginner level to more advanced topics, to prepare you for a career in a hi-tech company in Israel.
Digital marketing
The field of digital marketing is popular with olim for good reason. Work can be done exclusively in English and often involves interaction with customers and clients overseas. Additionally, it’s versatile – there are a number of specialties such as SEO (search engine optimization) and PPC (pay per click) for the more technically-minded, and content writing, email marketing and social media management for the wordsmiths. Courses in these topics are useful for marketers as well as for small business owners who market their own products or services.
English teaching
Whether you were a teacher before aliyah or have not taught a day in your life, you can become certified as an English teacher through an Israeli teaching college. If you were a licensed teacher, you can’t simply transfer your teaching license to Israel, since you are required to have an Israeli teaching certificate (Teudat Horaah) and have studied teaching English as a second language. Since there is a large demand for English teachers in the country, there are subsidies available for this training either directly through the colleges or through the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration. More information on training to be an English teacher is available in this handbook from the Ministry of Education.
Technical writing
Technical writing can be a lucrative career if you have a flair for writing. It can be a hard field to break into, but once you get that first job and gain experience, there are more jobs available. Technical writing courses focus on the writing aspect, but you’ll have an advantage if you are proficient in various software packages and have a background in programming. Nefesh B’Nefesh has a list of companies which provide training courses in technical writing.
Listings of professional courses in English in Israel
- Nefesh B’Nefesh partners with multiple organizations to provide professional courses that are relevant for olim. The course listings change periodically, so it’s worth checking back every once in a while.
- Mati and the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration offer free or inexpensive courses in topics such as digital marketing for new immigrants (up to 10 years in the country).
- Compuskills offers courses in graphic design, interior design, copywriting, editing, photography and more.
- Design-related courses are available through Design Alive.
- Check out this list of Israeli universities which offer degree programs in English.
Your career isn’t set in stone
In our parents’ generation, it seems like most people picked a profession and stuck with it until retirement, sometimes even working for the same employer for most of their professional careers. But these days, upward and sideways mobility is much more common, whether it’s upskilling in the same field, switching industries or getting a job with a different company to advance in title and salary. Taking professional courses gives you the opportunity to take your career to the next level, whether in the industry you’re already working in or an entirely new one.