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Cost and Benefit of Apprenticeship Training – A Comparison of Germany and Switzerland

Author

Listed:
  • Regina Dionisius
  • Samuel Muehlemann
  • Harald Pfeifer
  • Günter Walden
  • Felix Wenzelmann
  • Stefan C. Wolter

Abstract

For the first time it has been made possible to merge a German and a Swiss firm-level data set that include detailed information about costs and benefits of apprenticeship training. Previous analyzes based only on aggregate data showed that the net costs of training apprentices are substantial in Germany, whereas apprenticeship training is on average profitable during the training period for firms in Switzerland, even though the two training systems are rather similar. This paper analyzes the reasons for these differences with matching methods. We simulate the impact of changes in certain parameters such as wages, apprenticeship system-related factors and allocation of tasks to apprentices on the cost-benefit ratio using the counterfactual values of the other country. The results show that most of the difference in the net costs of training between the two countries can be explained by a higher share of productive tasks allocated to apprentices in Switzerland and the differences in relative wages.

Suggested Citation

  • Regina Dionisius & Samuel Muehlemann & Harald Pfeifer & Günter Walden & Felix Wenzelmann & Stefan C. Wolter, 2008. "Cost and Benefit of Apprenticeship Training – A Comparison of Germany and Switzerland," CESifo Working Paper Series 2287, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_2287
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Daron Acemoglu & Jörn-Steffen Pischke, 1998. "Why Do Firms Train? Theory and Evidence," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 113(1), pages 79-119.
    2. Mohrenweiser, Jens & Zwick, Thomas, 2009. "Why do firms train apprentices? The net cost puzzle reconsidered," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(6), pages 631-637, December.
    3. Muehlemann, Samuel & Wolter, Stefan C., 2007. "Regional effects on employer-provided training: Evidence from apprenticeship training in Switzerland," Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung - Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 40(2/3), pages 135-147.
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    11. Samuel Muehlemann & Juerg Schweri & Rainer Winkelmann & Stefan C. Wolter, 2007. "An Empirical Analysis of the Decision to Train Apprentices," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 21(3), pages 419-441, September.
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    14. Wolter Stefan C. & Schweri Jürg & Mühlemann Samuel, 2006. "Why Some Firms Train Apprentices and Many Others Do Not," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 7(3), pages 249-264, August.
    15. Walden, Günter, 2007. "Short-term and long-term benefits as determinants of the training behaviour of companies," Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung - Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 40(2/3), pages 169-191.
    16. Stefan C. Wolter, 2008. "Ausbildungskosten und ‐nutzen und die betriebliche Nachfrage nach Lehrlingen," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 9(s1), pages 90-108, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Paul Ryan & Uschi Backes-Gellner & Silvia Teuber & Karin Wagner, 2012. "Apprentice pay in Britain, Germany and Switzerland: institutions, market forces, market power," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0075, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    2. Miriam Rinawi & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2020. "Firms’ method of pay and the retention of apprentices," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 72(1), pages 269-291.
    3. Goeggel, Kathrin & Zwick, Thomas, 2009. "Good occupation - bad occupation? The quality of apprenticeship training," ZEW Discussion Papers 09-024, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    4. Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2014. "Benefits of Apprenticeship Training and Recent Challenges - Empirical Results and Lessons from Switzerland and Germany," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0097, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    5. Iyiola Oluwole Oladele & Osibanjo Omotayo Adewale, 2012. "Assessing the Value of International Workers: A Case of Shell Petroleum Development Company in Nigeria," Scientific Annals of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 59(1), pages 141-153, July.
    6. Samuel Muehlemann & Stefan Wolter, 2014. "Return on investment of apprenticeship systems for enterprises: Evidence from cost-benefit analyses," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 3(1), pages 1-22, December.
    7. Jens Mohrenweiser & Uschi Backes‐Gellner, 2010. "Apprenticeship training: for investment or substitution?," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 31(5), pages 545-562, August.
    8. Thomas Bolli & Ursula Renold & Martin Wörter, 2018. "Vertical educational diversity and innovation performance," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(2), pages 107-131, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    apprenticeship training; cost and benefit analysis;

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J44 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Professional Labor Markets and Occupations

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