Katja Görlitz

Continuous training and wages: An empirical analysis using a comparison-group approach

Using German linked employer-employee data, this paper investigates the impact of on-the-job training on wages. The applied estimation technique was first introduced by Leuven and Oosterbeek (2008). The idea is to compare wages of employees who intended to participate in training but did not do so because of a random event with wages of training participants. The estimated wage returns are statistically insignificant. Furthermore, the decision to participate in training is associated with sizeable selection effects. On average, participants have a wage advantage of more than 4% compared to non-participants.

WeLL – Unique Linked Employer-Employee Data on Further Training in Germany

This paper explains the main features of an innovative linked employer-employee data set with a particular focus on continuous training in Germany, called WeLL. The data set comprises establishment data that can be linked to longitudinal information on the associated employees. The employer survey and the first wave of the employee survey were conducted in 2007. Both surveys focus on the collection of training information together with a variety of employee and employer background characteristics. In addition, it is possible to link these data with other survey and administrative data for a large number of respondents. (This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Revisiting the complementarity between education and training – the role of job tasks and firm effects

This paper addresses the question to what extent the strong positive correlation between education and training can be attributed to differences in individual-, job- and firm-specific characteristics. The novelty of this paper is to analyze previously unconsidered characteristics, in particular, job tasks and firm-fixed effects. The results show that once job tasks are controlled for, the difference in training participation between educational groups drops considerably. In contrast, firm-fixed effects only play a minor role. Moreover, we show that workers performing nonroutine tasks are considerably more likely to participate in training than workers with routine tasks.

Revisiting the complementarity between education and training: The role of personality, working tasks and firm effects

This paper addresses the question to which extent the complementarity between education and training can be attributed to differences in observable characteristics, i.e. to individual, job and firm specific characteristics. The novelty of this paper is to analyze previously unconsidered characteristics, in particular, personality traits and tasks performed at work which are taken into account in addition to the standard individual specific determinants. Results show that tasks performed at work are strong predictors of training participation while personality traits are not. Once working tasks and other job related characteristics are controlled for, the skill gap in training participation drops considerably for off-the-job training and vanishes for on-the-job training.

Continuous Training, Job Satisfaction and Gender – An Empirical Analysis Using German Panel Data

Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), this paper analyzes the relationship between training and job satisfaction focusing in particular on gender differences. Controlling for a variety of socio-demographic, job and firm characteristics, we find a difference between males and females in the correlation of training with job satisfaction which is positive for males but insignificant for females. This difference becomes even more pronounced when applying individual fixed effects. To gain insights into the reasons for this difference, we further investigate training characteristics by gender. We find that financial support and career-orientation of courses only seems to matter for the job satisfaction of men but not of women.

Continuous training, job satisfaction and gender

Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between participation in further training courses and job satisfaction, focussing in particular on gender differences. Design/methodology/approach - – Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), a Probit-adapted OLS (POLS) model is employed which allows to account for individual fixed effects. The analysis controls for a variety of socio-demographic, job and firm characteristics. Findings - – The authors find a difference between males and females in the correlation between training and job satisfaction which is positive for males but insignificant for females. This difference becomes even more pronounced when applying individual fixed effects. To gain insights into the reasons for this difference, the authors further investigate training characteristics by gender. The authors find that financial support and career-orientation of courses only seems to matter for the job satisfaction of men but not for the satisfaction of women. Practical implications - – In Germany, financial support and career-orientation of training courses only seem to matter for the job satisfaction of men but not for the satisfaction of women. This has important implications for the investment in and outcomes of these training endeavors from both, a participant and an employer perspective. Originality/value - – This paper extends the existing literature in several ways. The authors use job satisfaction as an outcome of training which comprises non-pecuniary returns in addition to monetary returns. In addition, the authors point out gender differences and examine the heterogeneity of training courses by gender. This seems important since job satisfaction processes differ to a large extent by gender and since it is well-known that training participation also differs by gender. The panel structure of the data enables a methodological advancement in terms of accounting for time-invariant unobserved heterogeneity which is likely to matter for the results.

The effects of the high school curriculum on school dropout

ABSTRACT High school dropouts and their lower employment prospects are a major concern for developed countries. This article answers the question whether the high school curriculum has the potential to affect students’ dropout decision. Focusing on the curriculum is also motivated by the manifold curriculum reforms or reform initiatives worldwide. Using a quasi-experimental evaluation design, we identify the effects of a curriculum reform on students’ probability to drop out of high school in the short run, i.e. for the first three cohorts graduating under the new curriculum requirements. The reform increased the curriculum requirements in high school, for instance, by reducing the freedom of choice in course selection. The results show that high school dropout rates increased for males and females alike.

Panel Data on Training Activities – Voucher Recipients and Eligible Employees of the Program Bildungsprämie

Many countries in Europe have introduced training voucher programs to increase adults’ training participation that was set as a political aim on the European level. In December 2008, the training program „Bildungsprämie“ was implemented in Germany on the federal level. The main component of the program was a training voucher (Prämiengutschein) that reduced training costs by 50 percent up to a maximum subsidy of 500 Euro. Individuals eligible for the voucher include employees or self-employed with a maximum taxable income of 25,600 Euro for singles and 51,600 Euro for couples as well as individuals on maternity or parental leave. In relation to all German employees, approximately two thirds of the German workforce was eligible for the voucher. In 2009, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) contracted the RheinischWestfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (RWI), the Gesellschaft für Innovationsforschung und Beratung (GIB Berlin) and the Institute for Applied Social Sciences (infas) to evaluate the effectiveness of this training program. In this paper, we describe the data that was collected for the evaluation of the program. Two different samples of individuals were surveyed by telephone: First, those individuals receiving a training voucher in 2010, henceforth referred

The pecuniary and non-pecuniary returns to voucher-financed training

This paper analyzes the returns to training that was co-financed by the German voucher program Bildungsprämie. The estimation strategy compares outcomes of participants in voucher training with voucher recipients who intended to participate in training, but did not do so because of a random event like course cancellation by the provider of training. We find no impact of voucher training on wages, employment, job tasks and on subjective outcomes (in particular, the risk of job loss and job satisfaction). However, there is evidence that training participants report to better match the skill requirements of their job.

Item Nonresponse in Wages: Testing for Biased Estimates in Wage Equations

This paper investigates how to test and correct for nonresponse selection bias induced by missing income information when estimating wage functions. The novelty is to use the variation in interviewer-specific response rates as exclusion restriction within the framework of a sample selection model.