Project's

100 Bedouin Engineers Program

Scalability: The influence of this 100 Bedouin Engineers Program on the community on the economic status of the families and tribes, and paving the wave to the younger generation to access higher education with greater mobility. Currently, finally, the Negev is developing rapidly, including plans for industry and infrastructure among the Bedouin towns. This means that there is a growing need for local engineering professionals, men and women, quite urgently. Thus far a number of Shamoon alumni are, indeed, city planners, advisors, etc. in the region, as well as high tech in such notable companies as Ness Technologies and Intel; and they serve in leadership roles because of their professional prestige & experience.

Our program began with 33 students, and is planned to graduate 100 Bedouin engineers within 8 years. Following this, it is expected that Shamoon engineering studies will be viewed as inviting and accessible to this young population. Of particular mention, in 2009 and in 2010, 15 and 19 SCE Bedouin students respectively in this program received a special prize of excellence (about NIS 5,000) at a ceremony with the Minister of Education who personally greeted them and gave each one his/her prize. Almost half of the recipients were coeds.

Organizational Structure/Expertise: In addition to the formal college educational system and staff with expertise in formal education as well as the student support system (remedial, scholarships etc), the program has a special advisor (Mr. Kher Albaz) who has 2 main functions: personalized student recruitment and support. This differs from the regular, formal (general) student recruitment and support, due to cultural and ac academic differences that are complex to deal with. Mr. Albaz, himself a Negev Bedouin, uses his experience & expertise as a professional social worker (MSW & MBA) as well as his knowledge of the Bedouin community in intensively assisting the students in solving their day to day wellbeing/adjustment issues, as well as providing academic counseling. The recruitment process differs from the general student recruitment, and is highly personalized and time consuming, personally involving Mr. Albaz with key community and family members. Moreover, Mr. Albaz, together with SCE Dept. for Career Development will provide the seniors, with career counseling, workshops and placement. Of note, SCE is known for its strong ties with major Israeli industry.

Outcome/Evaluation:

We expect our graduates will all be placed in their career fields, and, as for all alumni at SCE, there is a follow up system so that we can identify and measure Shamoon engineers' success. Of particular mention meantime, in 2009 and in 2010, 15 and 19 SCE Bedouin students respectively in this program received a special prize of excellence (about NIS 5,000) at a ceremony with the Minister of Education who personally greeted them and gave each one his/her prize. Almost half of the recipients were coeds.

RCF Role: We welcome the professional involvement and input of the RCF in general for the success of this program. In particular, we do want the advice/help of RCF re building a procedure for effective outcome evaluation, long-term follow up for both harvesting information on our alumni as well as for continuing to play a helpful role for these alumni.

Sustainability: Within 10 years, having graduated 100 Bedouin Israeli engineers, it is expected that Shamoon engineering studies will be viewed as inviting and accessible to this young and changing Negev Bedouin population, so that Bedouin student enrollment will continue on its own momentum. Further expected is the cause/effect on the sustainability of the Negev Bedouin communities' bridging the socio-economic gap.

Funders: Please see attached table of requested information