Which Program for Whom? Evidence on the Comparative Effectiveness of Public Sponsored Training Programs in Germany

70 Pages Posted: 10 Jul 2007

See all articles by Martin Biewen

Martin Biewen

University of Tuebingen; Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Bernd Fitzenberger

Humboldt University of Berlin - School of Business and Economics

Aderonke Osikominu

University of Hohenheim

Marie Paul

University of Duisburg-Essen

Date Written: 06/01/2007

Abstract

We use a new and exceptionally rich administrative data set for Germany to evaluate the employment effects of a variety of public sponsored training programs in the early 2000s. Building on the work of Sianesi (2003, 2004), we employ propensity score matching methods in a dynamic, multiple treatment framework in order to address program heterogeneity and dynamic selection into programs. Our results suggest that in West Germany both short-term and medium-term programs show considerable employment effects for certain population subgroups but in some cases the effects are zero in the medium run. Short-term programs are surprisingly effective when compared to the traditional and more expensive longer-term programs. With a few exceptions, we find little evidence for significant positive treatment effects in East Germany. There is some evidence that the employment effects decline for older workers and for low-skilled workers.

Keywords: evaluation, multiple treatments, dynamic treatment effects, local linear matching, active labor market programs, administrative data

JEL Classification: C14, J68, H43

Suggested Citation

Biewen, Martin and Fitzenberger, Bernd and Osikominu, Aderonke and Paul, Marie, Which Program for Whom? Evidence on the Comparative Effectiveness of Public Sponsored Training Programs in Germany (06/01/2007). IZA Discussion Paper No. 2885, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 07-042, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=999536 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.999536

Martin Biewen

University of Tuebingen ( email )

Eberhard Karls Universität
Geschwister-Scholl-Platz
Tübingen, 72074
Germany

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Bernd Fitzenberger (Contact Author)

Humboldt University of Berlin - School of Business and Economics ( email )

Spandauer Str. 1
Berlin, D-10099
Germany

Aderonke Osikominu

University of Hohenheim ( email )

Stuttgart
Germany

Marie Paul

University of Duisburg-Essen ( email )

Lotharstr. 65
Duisburg, 47057
Germany

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