Characteristics of training programs and effects on labor market outcomes and innovation
The projects in this research area investigate the effects of different characteristics of training programs (Apprenticeships and Continuous Training) on labor markets outcomes on one side and on innovation outcomes on the other side. The projects cover initial training as well as continuous training on individual outcomes, thereby spanning different phases of the lifespan, and they cover various characteristics and types of training programs and their effects on firms and innovation. Such characteristics include the frequency of curricula updating, performance incentives for apprentices, or types, length or timing of continuous training programs.
"Assessing the Value of Incomplete University Degrees: Experimental Evidence from HR Recruiters." Swiss Leading House “Economics of Education” Working Paper No. 235, 2025. By Andrea Diem, Christian Gschwendt and Stefan C. Wolter.
"Multiple Pathways to Financial Literacy: Evidence on the Impact of Practical Applications of Financial Tasks and Analytical Learning." Swiss Leading House “Economics of Education” Working Paper No. 240, 2025. By Laura Brunner, Maddalena Davoli and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
"Tournaments, Contestant Heterogeneity and Performance." Journal of Political Economy Microeconomics (2025 accepted). By Enzo Brox and Daniel Goller.
"Classroom versus workbench: Labour market effects of firm-based learning." Swiss Leading House “Ecnomics of Education” Working Paper No. 227, 2024. By Samuel Luethi.
"Curriculum Updates in Vocational Education and Changes in Graduates' Skills and Wages." Journal of Education and Work, 37(2024)5-6: 458-482. By Andreas F. Buehler, Patrick Lehnert and Uschi Backes-Gellner. LH Working Paper No. 205.
"Does updating education curricula accelerate technology adoption in the workplace? Evidence from dual vocational education and training curricula in Switzerland." The Journal of Technology Transfer, 49(2024): 191-235. By Tobias Schultheiss and Uschi Backes-Gellner. LH Working Paper No. 173.
"Environmental Awareness and Occupational Choices of Adolescents." Swiss Leading House “Economics of Education” Working Paper No. 231, 2024. By Patrick Lehnert and Harald Pfeifer.
"Gender Norms, Occupational Choices and the Innovation Gender Gap." Swiss Leading House “Economics of Education” Working Paper No. 230, 2024. By Andreas F. Buehler, Patrick Lehnert and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
"Intergenerational Mobility of Education in Europe: Geographical Patterns, Cohort-Linked Measures, and the Innovation Nexus." Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 211, 2024. ZEW Discussion Paper No. 24-004. ECINEQ Working Paper No. 664. By Sarah McNamara, Guido Neidhoefer and Patrick Lehnert.
"No Graduate Left Behind: Resource Configurations Enabling a Successful Labor Market Entry." Swiss Leading House "Econonics of Education" Working Paper No. 221, 2024. By Patricia Palffy, Luc Sandfort, Martin Schneider and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
"Opening doors for immigrants: The importance of occupational and workplace-based cultural skills for successful labor market entry."Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 204, 2024 (first version 2023). By Chiara Zisler, Damiano Pregaldini and Uschi Backes-Gellner
"Students' grit and their post-compulsory educational choices and trajectories: Evidence from Switzerland." Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 215, 2024 . By Janine Albiez, Maurizio Strazzeri and Stefan C. Wolter.
"The Role of Occupational Skill Sets in the Digital Transformation: How IT Progress Shapes Returns to Specialization and Social Skills." Journal of Business Economics, 94(2024): 75-111. By Fabienne Kiener, Christian Eggenberger and Uschi Backes-Gellner. LH Working Paper No. 192.
"Unpacking Financial Literacy in Switzerland: Demographic Heterogeneity, Self-Perception Gaps, and Financial Fragility." Swiss Leading House “Economics of Education” Working Paper No. 220, 2024. By Maddalena Davoli and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
"A, B, or C? Question Format and the Gender Gap in Financial Literacy." Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 206, 2023. By Maddalena Davoli.
"Different degrees of skill obsolescence across hard and soft skills and the role of lifelong learning for labor market outcomes." Industrial Relations, 62(2023)3: 257-287. By Tobias Schultheiss and Uschi Backes-Gellner. LH Working Paper No. 188.
"Education expansion and high-skill job opportunities for workers: Does a rising tide lift all boats?" Labour Economics, 82(2023). By Tobias Schultheiss, Curdin Pfister, Ann-Sophie Gnehm and Uschi Backes-Gellner. LH Working Paper No. 154.
"Is being competitive always an advantage? Competitiveness, gender, and labour market success." Labour Economics, 85(2023). By Samuel Luethi and Stefan C. Wolter. LH Working Paper No. 185.
"IT Skills, Occupation Specificity and Job Separations." Economics of Education Review, 92(2023). By Christian Eggenberger and Uschi Backes-Gellner. LH Working Paper No. 172.
"Noncognitive Skills in Training Curricula and Nonlinear Wage Returns." International Journal of Manpower, 44(2023)4: 772-788. By Fabienne Kiener, Ann-Sophie Gnehm and Uschi Backes-Gellner. LH Working Paper No. 175.
"Proxying economic activity with daytime satellite imagery: Filling data gaps across time and space." PNAS Nexus, 2(2023)4: pgad099. By Patrick Lehnert, Michael Niederberger, Uschi Backes-Gellner and Eric Bettinger. LH Working Paper No. 165.
"The role of fields of study for the effects of higher education institutions on regional firm location." Small Business Economics, 61(2023): 1587-1656. By Tobias Schlegel and Uschi Backes-Gellner. LH Working Paper No. 187.
"IT skills in vocational training curricula and labour market outcomes." Journal of Education and Work, 35(2022)6-7: 614-640. By Fabienne Kiener, Ann-Sophie Gnehm, Simon Clematide and Uschi Backes-Gellner. LH Working Paper No. 159.
""The double-dividend of training" - Labour market effects of work-related continuous education in Switzerland." Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 196, 2022. By Stefan Denzler, Jens Ruhose and Stefan C. Wolter.
"Occupational Specificity: A new Measurement Based on Training Curricula and its Effect on Labor Market Outcomes." Labour Economics, 51(2018): 97-107. By Christian Eggenberger, Miriam Rinawi and Uschi Backes-Gellner. LH Working Paper No. 106.