Vocational vs. General Education and Employment over the Life Cycle: New Evidence from PIAAC

Hampf, Franziska; Wößmann, Ludger (2017): Vocational vs. General Education and Employment over the Life Cycle: New Evidence from PIAAC. In: Cesifo Economic Studies, Vol. 63, No. 3: pp. 255-269

Abstract

It has been argued that vocational education facilitates the school-to-work transition but reduces later adaptability to changing environments. Using the recent international data of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), we confirm such a trade-off over the life cycle in a difference-in-differences model that compares employment rates across education type and age. An initial employment advantage of individuals with vocational compared to general education turns into a disadvantage later in life. Results are strongest in apprenticeship countries that provide the highest intensity of industry-based vocational education.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Economics
• Subjects: 300 Social sciences > 330 Economics
• ISSN: 1610-241X
• Language: English