Israel's National unemployment rates currently stand at 6.8%. The unemployment rate of the Muslim and Christian Arab communities in the Galil, is more than 2.5 times the national average. To stimulate business and economic life in the northern periphery, the government has created industrial zones. In order to encourage the Arab population, who traditionally work in low-wage and/or unskilled labour sectors (agriculture, retail, food, construction) to benefit from the physical infrastructure, business development, professional training and support for jobholders offered through the industrial zones, the CJAED was developed. CJAED aims to: • Promote integration of the Arab workforce into the Israeli economy • Encourage cooperative business/employment ventures between Jews & Arabs • Support small and medium-sized businesses • Assure more equitable allocation of resources • Achieve economic sustainability of the Galil Project Outcomes As a major centre of business development, employment, and support, it will: 1) Increase employment opportunities for the Arab population 2) Improve the socio-economic well-being of the Arab populations 3) Advance cooperation between Arab and the Jewish partners of the industrial 4) Develop a focused and suitable regional employment policy, namely, to identify professional skills that match business needs and devise support procedures for entrepreneurs and businesses. 5) Acquire, through workshops, professional training, job counselling, work placements and vocational courses, the professional tools to successfully compete in the high-tech labour market. 6) Provide two vocational training programmes (eg computer courses) aimed at non-Jewish women to enable them to become more economically empowered, and expand their participation in the economic life of the community and region. 7) Support them in starting up new businesses - the Centre will function as an incubator equipped and operated to initially support about 15 small businesses while some 250 outside businesses and entrepreneurs will receive training and support 8) Strengthen the economic and social sustainability of the Galil through economic cooperation and business partnerships between Jewish and Arab municipalities and communities