Women from Abraham Accord countries unite to kickstart tech careers

A group of 30 women from Bahrain, UAE and Morocco will arrive in Jerusalem in January to participate in a scheme tailored at kick-starting their careers in tech management. 

FemForward is behind the initiative that gives women in tech in junior positions the skills, network and mentorship to progress into management.

Some 15 female lecturers, all of whom work in executive positions in companies like Google, McKinsey, and META, will share with the participants a variety of skills to help them elevate from junior to managerial positions.

The three-month program will begin with a three-day seminar in Jerusalem, followed by online weekly workshops, and ending with another three day seminar in Dubai.

CEO of FemForward, Rachel Wagner Rosenzwieg, told Jewish News the scheme so far shows a success rate of over 50% of the women immediately receiving a promotion at the end of the program. To date, there have been 4 cohorts with over 100 graduates.

The criteria for applicants is that they have to be working in a junior position in tech with 1.5 to 5 years experience, whoever fits this  will receive an interview.

An important aspect of the program, Rosenzwieg adds, is to continue the relationship between the participants, where those who finished the program are encouraged to mentor new applicants.

“That’s something very magical and practical about the program,” Rosenzwieg says.

FemForward Director, Ruth Moatti, says that the program also aims at “developing the personal relationships between the participants to business relationships,” that will last long after the three month program ends. “That will have a bigger impact on the relationship between Israel and the Abraham Accord countries.”

There are 2 cohorts planned for 2023 and 2024, whereby each ending seminar will take place in a different region. The next cohort is planned to hold its ending seminar in Morocco.

“As the technology industry in the Abraham Accords countries continues to grow, so do the opportunities for women to expand their careers and become managers and leaders,” Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, co-founder of the Gulf-Israel Women’s Forum, a division of the UAE, said.

“By providing them with the tools they need, we are helping to increase
the numbers of female leaders in the region,” Israel Business Council said.

The initiative is co-founded by deputy mayor of Jerusalem, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Rachel Wagner Rosenzwieg, and CEO of InTouch, Meirav Atun Amiry.