The IT skills gap: A German-Palestinian perspective A tale of two skills gaps The German tech industry is booming - but companies are struggling to find enough qualified IT professionals. In fact, there are currently record-breaking 149,000 IT jobs are currently unfilled - a figure that has risen by 12,000 compared to the previous year [1].
This shortage is seen as a "systemic problem for the German economy" and is likely to worsen due to the ageing population and the accelerated digital transformation [2].
In Palestine, on the other hand, a different challenge is emerging: high unemployment among the young, well-educated population. Youth unemployment is almost 28% in the West Bank and almost 69% in the Gaza Strip [3]. Today, these figures have probably doubled or even tripled in Palestine due to widespread destruction and economic paralysis, leaving thousands of capable young people with no prospects for the future.
This means that tens of thousands of skilled young people are looking for new opportunities. This contrast - jobs without people in Germany and people without jobs in Palestine - defines the IT skills gap from a German-Palestinian perspective.
Palestine's untapped tech talent
Despite economic challenges, Palestine has a growing pool of tech-savvy youth and graduates. Every year, universities produce skilled engineers and computer scientists, leading to underemployment and brain drain. Many Palestinian graduates are underemployed or working outside their field, not because they lack skills or ambition, but because there is a lack of opportunities. At the same time, German companies are faced with a "shortage of IT specialists" that is "independent of economic cycles" [2].
So there is an obvious opportunity: To combine the untapped talents of Palestine with the unmet needs of Germany. The shortage is expected to worsen as the population ages. It is obvious that a win-win situation can arise here: connecting Palestine's untapped talent potential with Germany's unmet needs. However, this requires a bridge - a bridge that ensures Palestinian talent meets global standards and is ready to integrate into international teams.
Axsos Academy: Building the bridge
This is where the Axsos Academy comes in, a mission-oriented tech academy that was born out of precisely this vision of bridging worlds. The academy was launched in 2020 by Axsos AG - a German IT company with an intercultural approach - and aims to "close the gap between education and employment".
How? By training Palestinian youth in in-demand IT skills and connecting them with companies in the local and international market.
The academy's approach is global and collaborative from the ground up. Students in Ramallah learn cutting-edge technologies and professional skills, often in coordination with the requirements of German industry. In essence, Axsos Academy creates a "pool of qualified tech talent ready for the local and global market".
This talent pool is not only technically adept, but also prepared for remote work - with fluency in English, experience in intercultural teamwork and online collaboration.
Several important pillars enable the Axsos Academy to close the German-Palestinian skills gap:
- Immersive Bootcamps: Intensive 16- to 18-week programs that focus on real-world projects and the latest technologies so graduates can get into a job right away. From full-stack web development to data science, the curriculum is aligned with international industry requirements. As the academy itself says: "We focus on practical skills so that you are not only ready for your first job, but also for the future."
- Soft skills and work culture: Beyond programming, students acquire soft skills such as teamwork, communication and problem solving. The training includes career counseling, life coaching, mock job interviews and teamwork exercises to produce well-rounded professionals. This enables graduates to integrate smoothly into German corporate environments or global teams.
- Outsourcing and placement opportunities: Thanks to Axsos' connections to Germany and beyond, graduates are placed in local and international positions via an outsourcing model. To date, over 120 companies have hired Axsos Academy graduates, including many in Europe. The Academy works closely with employers (conducting interviews, matching and even legal induction) to ensure a smooth recruitment process for all parties involved. The results speak for themselves.
To date over 600 tech talents have been trainedof which 75% have found employment within six months of graduation.
Each new cohort of developers, data scientists and QA engineers contributes to a high-quality talent pool that can alleviate the skills shortage in Germany while reducing unemployment in Palestine. This is a powerful example of how investing in skills can solve two problems at once - a truly collaborative, global solution.
Let's close the gap together.
- To find out how you can train or hire employees, visit axsos.academy
- For the latest information and news, follow us on Linkedin
- To discuss partnership requirements, make an appointment
Quality knows no boundaries - the real proof is in stories like these:
- Jehad, who now works in a multinational tech team, impressed his employer so much that they expanded their investment in Palestinian talent, saying his "precision and expertise opened doors".
- Montaser, another graduate, was appreciated not only for his technical skills, but also for his leadership and development skills - qualities that every employer values.
These graduates not only close the skills gap, but also set new standards for global remote talent.
The German-Palestinian cooperation at the Axsos Academy goes beyond simply filling vacancies. It builds cultural bridges. Graduates often work remotely with German teams, bringing with them a diversity of thought and a strong work ethic shaped by the Academy's intensive program. In return, they gain international experience and receive mentoring. This mutual exchange promotes understanding and shows how global the tech community really is.
It is a mission-oriented initiative: empowering Palestinian youth while closing Germany's skills gap. By training Palestinian job seekers to become ready developers for the global market, the Axsos Academy is an example of a collaborative approach to solving the international skills shortage.
A global win-win situation
The Axsos Academy is a clear example of what is possible when education, industry and social commitment go hand in hand:
- Germany is gaining qualified specialists who are ready to contribute to the digital world of work.
- Palestinian young people are given a career that changes their lives.
- Companies everywhere gain access to diverse, resilient and mission-driven tech talent.
In summary, it can be said that bridging the IT skills gap between Germany and Palestine is not just theory - it is already happening. With every graduate recruited, a German company gains urgently needed talent and a Palestinian youngster embarks on a promising career.
It's a story of hope, collaboration and mutual growth. To learn more about partnering with Axsos Academy or hiring their talented graduates, connect with us on LinkedIn or visit our website. Together, we can continue to close the gap - and change lives on both sides in the process.
This is more than just solving a labor shortage - it is building global bridges, transforming lives and creating a model for sustainable technological development.
Let's close the gap - together.
- To learn how you can hire employees, visit axsos.academy!
- To collaborate with us, follow us on LinkedIn!
- To discuss partnership requirements, make an appointment!
References
- Bitkom industry study - 149,000 unfilled IT jobs in Germany, 2023.
- Bitkom, "Skills shortage in IT: a systemic problem", 2023.
- Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Youth Unemployment Report, 2023.
What happens when you combine both sides in a targeted and precise way?
At Axsos Academy, we're not just closing the IT skills gap - we're building careers, creating opportunities and helping organizations gain access to resilient, remote-ready tech talent. Read the full story about how a German-Palestinian partnership turns challenges into solutions!