The Municipality of Eilat and the Eilat Hotel Association announced a package of benefits for students that will include: free undergraduate studies at the Eilat branches of Ben-Gurion University, the Open University, the Levinsky-Wingate Academic Center and the Ono Academic College.
The "Eilat Relocation" benefits package, which is intended to help lower the cost of living for students studying in the city, following the halting of the project that was launched last year with the outbreak of war near the start of the last academic year, and due to the fact that many students did not start the academic year at all and could not apply for a scholarship or exercise her.
The benefits package includes full-time work in the city's hotels combined with free bachelor's studies, alongside a basket of benefits from the hotels, which includes, among other things: subsidized accommodation, improved wages and grants, an Eilat resident card that provides discounts and benefits in dozens of restaurants, shops and domestic flights in Bishrair and Arkia, meals , training and promotion tracks, a 10% income tax benefit (subject to the terms of the Tax Authority), accommodation in the chain's hotels at employee prices, fun days and parties, a preferential work option for those eligible and transportation from the residence to the hotel and back.
The program is intended for veterans and those who have completed national service who are eligible for one of the Ministry of Defense scholarships. The students will be registered as residents of the city of Eilat for the entire study period and will participate twice a year in activities for the community in Eilat. The scholarship is funded by the Municipality of Eilat, the Eilat Hotel Association, and the hotels in the city that are members of the association, alongside funding that is based in the first academic year on Ministry of Defense scholarships for students in the periphery.
The Mayor of Eilat, Eli Lankri: "This is a unique move that will encourage young people to live in Eilat, work in the hotel industry and study in one of the dozens of courses we offer at the various academic institutions in Eilat, alongside the Eilat students, who also enjoy a full study scholarship. I thank the hotel association for joining the joint move That will strengthen Eilat, make it easier for the young students and upgrade their starting point in civilian life."
CEO of the Eilat Hotel Association, Itamar Elitzur: "The 'Iron Swords' war also affected Eilat. The residents of the city, the academic institutions, the students and the hotels all rallied for the evacuees, invested in their hospitality and gave them a feeling of home. Eilat returned to flourish and work at 150%. The program that we presented last year to provide a full scholarship to students who would come to study in the city and work in its hotels, could not realize its full potential due to the recruitment of many candidates for extended reserve periods, others who were evacuated from their homes and their lives changed beyond recognition and more. Now, we want them here with us, and we are giving them another opportunity that will ensure that they reach their first degree with peace of mind from financial worries, alongside an opportunity to develop a career in the hotel and tourism industry, at the same time as providing a quality response to the manpower shortage in hotels."
Applying to receive the benefits package with a free bachelor's degree is intended for students who will come to work in one of the hotels that are members of the Eilat Hotels Association and at the same time will be accepted to study for a bachelor's degree in the year 2015 at the following academic institutions: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev - Eilat Campus, the Open University - Eilat Campus, the Academic Center Levinsky - Wingate in Eilat and the Ono Academic College - Eilat Study Center (students at the Ono Academic College, which is a private institution, will benefit from a subsidy in the amount of university tuition per year). Students will be admitted to the new benefit program on a first-come, first-served basis.
For the benefit of the students, the youth center in the Eilat municipality established an information center staffed every day between 9:00 and 21:00. The young operators return to those registered on the website and accompany them until they are fully accepted into the program, including choosing the course of study, the academic institution, the hotel, and more.
To apply for the innovative benefit program for a free bachelor's degree: "Free bachelor's degree in Eilat" or "Eilat Relocation".