Leading Companies Find "Best of the Best" at Technion Job Fair
Friday, June 3, 2011
By: Kevin Hattori

Thousands of Technion students and graduates, and nearly 50 of Israel's leading companies converged on the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology on Wednesday for what is now the country's largest job fair.

"We came here today to pick the best sons and daughters of Israel," said Rafael CEO Major General (Res.) Yedidia Yaari, echoing a sentiment expressed by many of the representatives of companies who took part in the event.

Technion President Prof. Peretz Lavie (at right) visited exhibiting companies' booths during the recent job fair

Like all of the companies, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Ltd. - which designs, develops, manufactures and supplies a wide range of high-tech defense systems for air, land, sea and space - came to impress any potential future employees in attendance.  The company even displayed some key components from its "Iron Dome" and "Trophy" missile defense systems in its booth.  General Yaari was quick to point out that Technion-educated engineers have made crucial contributions to the success of both systems in the defense of the state of Israel.  He also shared that Rafael hopes to export the technology to Israel's allies, though details such how and to whom, and the costs associated with doing so are still under discussion.

"This job fair is an important meeting between leading companies in Israel and Technion students and graduates," said Technion Dean of Students Prof. Michal Green. "It shows the students that their diligent studies do bear fruit, and also provides the companies with an exceptional opportunity to find top quality personnel."

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems was one of many exhibiting companies

The list of companies at the job fair reads like a veritable who's who of Israeli high-tech industry, including such names as Check Point Software, Elbit Systems Ltd., Freescale Semiconductor, Intel, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., Applied Materials, Israel Electric Corporation, Marvell, Perrigo Israel Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Qualcomm, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Tower Semiconductor, Yahoo!, and Zoran Corporation.

"I have no doubt that the already distinguished pool of Technion graduates now occupying key positions in the public sector, industrial security of the State of Israel will grow as a result of this job fair," said Technion President Prof. Peretz Lavie, citing a recent survey that found 76% of Technion graduates account for 51% of the country's exports. "Without Technion graduates, there would not be an Israel."

The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is Israel's leading science and technology university. Home to the country's first winners of the Nobel Prize in science, it commands a worldwide reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, computer science, biotechnology, water-resource management, materials engineering, aerospace and medicine. The majority of the founders and managers of Israel's high-tech companies are alumni. Based in New York City, the American Technion Society (ATS) is the leading American organization supporting higher education in Israel, with offices around the country.