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Reaching for gold! The impact of a positive reputation shock on career choice

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel Goller
  • Stefan C. Wolter

Abstract

We analyze the causal influence a positive reputation shock for a particular occupation may have on career choice. The measure of the positive reputation shock is the unpredictable event that a young adult from one's own country wins a (gold) medal in a particular occupation at the World Skills - the world championship of vocational skills. In an occupation with a gold medal won, searches for apprenticeship vacancies increase significantly by around 7 percent compared to occupations that do not win a competition. In occupations where only a silver or bronze medal is awarded, the effect is also positive and statistically significant, but less pronounced. More importantly, the increase in searches for apprenticeship vacancies in the current year has also led to around 2.5 percent more contracts being signed in the winning occupation, and there are indications that these apprenticeships have a better match between employers and employees (trainees).

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Goller & Stefan C. Wolter, 2023. "Reaching for gold! The impact of a positive reputation shock on career choice," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0208, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    • Handle: RePEc:iso:educat:0208
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel Goller & Chiara Graf & Stefan C. Wolter, 2024. "The virtues of going virtual," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0224, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    2. Goller, Daniel & Gschwendt, Christian & Wolter, Stefan C., 2025. "This time it’s different – Generative artificial intelligence and occupational choice," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    3. Stefan C. Wolter & Thea Zoellner, 2024. "Are parents an obstacle to gender-atypical occupational choices?," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0216, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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