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Does comprehensive education work for the long-term unemployed

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  • Stenberg, Anders
  • Westerlund, Olle

Abstract

This paper evaluates the effects of comprehensive adult education on wage earnings of the long-term unemployed, an essentially unexplored issue. We use register data pertaining to a large sample of long-term unemployed persons in Sweden who either enrolled in the comprehensive adult education program, participated in labour market training, or remained in open unemployment. We find that individuals with more than one semester at upper secondary level of the comprehensive adult education program experienced an increase in annual wage earnings compared with those who remained in open unemployment. For those studying at the compulsory level we find no significant effects. The estimated effects were overall negative in relation to vocational labour market training.
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Suggested Citation

  • Stenberg, Anders & Westerlund, Olle, 2008. "Does comprehensive education work for the long-term unemployed," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 54-67, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:15:y:2008:i:1:p:54-67
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy

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