“The moment I finished the course, I got a new job. My salary doubled overnight.
“I was shocked.
“And I knew I needed to bring this opportunity to others.”
Rut Amiti’s passion is a force.
She trained as a graphic artist and worked for ten years for a series of non-profits.
“My salary was mediocre,” she shares. “I knew I needed to create more opportunities.”
She decided to learn UX/UI UX/UI (User Experience and User Interface – the skill of ensuring that digital products are visually appealing and easy to use.)
“I researched programs, and the religious ones were a fortune and a year long.
Out of options, she attended a secular program, Betzalel.
“It was a superb course that I could complete in just five months and cost less than the other courses.”
But it was challenging for a charedi woman to learn in a non-charedi environment.
When Rut landed her new job – one that was easier and more enjoyable than her previous one and paid double the salary – she was shell-shocked.
When she shared the good news with her friends and urged them to follow, they said they’d only be comfortable studying in a religious setting.
So Rut set out to create the course that didn’t exist.
“I asked a teacher at Betzalal if she’d teach the course to religious women, and she agreed. I started pulling together a group.
“I just needed a location.
”I googled ‘places for rent in Jerusalem’ and found The Hub, Temech’s workspace.”
Rut had never heard of the organization, but she called Temech and asked if she could rent a room. They wanted to hear about her plans. She shared her idea – and got so much more than a room.
“Ruti Serota, one of Temech’s indefatigable coordinators, jumped in, and Temech became a collaborator.
“Ruti held my hand and taught me everything – how to build the course, how to structure it financially, how to advertise, how to market it, how to speak to potential students.”
Fifteen women joined the first cohort.
“It’s an incredible group. Nearly all are married with children, most are the sole breadwinners, and they’re strong women, eager to learn.”
The UX/UI program launched in June and will continue through November. The 15 women meet weekly for 3 hours, and each will submit two extensive projects.
The participants have 3-10 years of experience and recognize the high caliber of the content they’re getting.
“We’ve been getting wonderful feedback. The women are learning a lot.”
The last session will focus on job hunting, and Rut has her eye on the government sector where she works.
“Government jobs are motherhood-friendly, and they welcome a diverse workforce. And they pay generous salaries.”
Rut has big dreams.
In addition to planning a second cohort, she’s also working with Temech to create a new course in a high-tech field.
“It gives me so much happiness to know that we’re enabling women to work in a field aligned with their values while earning a salary that will allow them to support their family not just now, but also in ten years.”
