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Are Soft Skills Enough? Experimental Evidence on Skill Complementarity for College Graduates

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  • Adam Osman
  • Jamin D. Speer

Abstract

The authors study how complementarities in skill may affect the returns to vocational training using a randomized controlled trial in Cairo, Egypt. Participants, who were college-educated, were given either a four-week training in soft skills (e.g., grooming, time management), technical skills (e.g., Microsoft programs, English language), or a mix of the two (half of each). Findings show large differences in outcomes between the three treatments. The technical and mixed treatments do best in the short term, raising first-job income by about 15%, relative to the soft skill treatment. In the longer term, the mixed-skill treatment significantly outperforms the other two treatments, giving participants 20–27% higher income. The high returns for this group may come from increased access to jobs that require speaking English, which may be at higher-quality employers. Overall, the results suggest that curriculum details play an important role in the outcomes of vocational training programs and that leveraging skill complementarity can yield tangible benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • Adam Osman & Jamin D. Speer, 2025. "Are Soft Skills Enough? Experimental Evidence on Skill Complementarity for College Graduates," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 78(4), pages 692-711, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:78:y:2025:i:4:p:692-711
    DOI: 10.1177/00197939251316849
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