Determinants of Apprenticeship Training Decisions in Firms
These projects examine how labor market conditions, institutional arrangements, hiring costs, firm incentives, and workforce characteristics shape firms’ investments in apprenticeship and continuous training.
Automation in the Wake of GenAI: Implications for Firm Training. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 252, 2026. By Christian Gschwendt and Claudio Schilter.
Employment prospects and firm-based training — Evidence from opening the Swiss-German border. Labour Economics, 99(2026) (first published online 06.01.2026). By Caroline Neuber-Pohl, Damiano Pregaldini, Uschi Backes-Gellner, Sandra Dummert and Harald Pfeifer. Working Paper version
Minimum Wages and Human Capital Investment: A Meta-Regression Analysis. British Journal of Industrial Relations, 63(2025)4: 567-586. By Hristos Doucouliagos and Katarina Zigova. Working Paper version
Minimum Wages and Provision of Training. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 242, 2025. By Katarina Zigova and Thomas Zwick.
The Impact of Hiring Costs for Skilled Workers on Apprenticeship Training: A Comparative Study. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 214, 2024 and IZA Discussion Paper No. 16919. By Manuel Aepli, Samuel Muehlemann, Harald Pfeifer, Jürg Schweri, Felix Wenzelmann and Stefan C. Wolter.
Are Apprenticeships Business Cycle Proof? Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, 156(2020)3. By Samuel Lüthi and Stefan C. Wolter. Working Paper version
Ausbildung ökonomisch betrachtet. Sieben Lektionen zu Kosten und Nutzen beruflicher Bildung aus Sicht von Unternehmen, (2020). Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung. By Samuel Muehlemann and Stefan C. Wolter.
Firms' method of pay and the retention of apprentices. Oxford Economic Papers, 72(2020)1: 269–291. By Miriam Rinawi and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version
Competition, Institutions and Company-sponsored Training. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 162, 2019. By Tina Hinz and Jens Mohrenweiser.
How firms’ participation in apprenticeship training fosters knowledge diffusion and innovation.Journal of Business Economics, 89(2019)5: 569-597. By Christian Rupietta and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version
Poaching and Firm Sponsored Training. British Journal of Industrial Relations, 57(2019)1: 143-181. By Jens Mohrenweiser, Thomas Zwick and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version
So Similar and Yet so Different: A firm’s net costs and post-training benefits from apprenticeship training in Austria and Switzerland. Evidence Based HRM, 7(2019)2: 229-246. By Luca Moretti, Martin Mayerl, Samuel Muehlemann, Peter Schloegl and Stefan C. Wolter.
The Contribution of Vocational Education and Training to Innovation – The Case of Switzerland. Research and Innovation in Switzerland 2020 (2019). Zürich: State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI. By Uschi Backes-Gellner and Curdin Pfister.
The economics of apprenticeship training. Seven lessons learned from cost-benefit surveys and simulation. (2019). Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung. By Samuel Muehlemann and Stefan C. Wolter.
Using expatriates for adapting subsidiaries employment modes to different market economies: a comparative analysis of US subsidiaries in Germany, the UK and Switzerland.European Journal of International Management, 13(2019)3: 328-353. By Johannes Meuer, Marlies Kluike, Uschi Backes-Gellner and Kerstin Pull. Working Paper version
Apprenticeship training in England – a cost-effective model for firms? (2018). Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung. By Stefan C. Wolter and Eva Joho.
Apprenticeship training in Italy - a cost-effective model for firms? (2018). Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung. By Samuel Muehlemann, Stefan C. Wolter and Eva Joho.
Can Spanish firms offer dual apprenticeships without making a net investment? Empirical evidence based on ex ante simulations of different training scenarios.Evidence-based HRM: a Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship, 5(2017)1: 107-118. By Samuel Muehlemann and Stefan C. Wolter.
Firms’ Knowledge Acquisition During Dual-Track VET: Which Sources are Important for Innovativeness. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 131, 2017. By Christian Rupietta, Harald Pfeifer and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
Reverse Educational Spillovers at the Firm Level. Evidence-based HRM: a Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship, 5(2017)1: 80-106. By Uschi Backes-Gellner, Christian Rupietta and Simone Tuor Sartore. Working Paper version.
The Relative Importance of Personal Characteristics for the Hiring of Young Workers. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 142, 2017. By Peter Hoeschler and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
Apprenticeship training in Spain – a cost-effective model for firms? (2015). Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung. By Stefan C. Wolter and Samuel Mühlemann.
The structure of hiring costs in Germany. Industrial Relations, 55(2015)2: 193-218. By Samuel Mühlemann and Harald Pfeifer.Working Paper version.
Employer-Supported Training as a Non-Wage Compensation Component. DBW, 74(2014)2: 87- 105. By Simone N. Tuor Sartore and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version.
Return on investment of apprenticeship systems for enterprises: Evidence from cost-benefit analyses.IZA Journal of Labor Policy, 3(2014)25: 313-328. By Samuel Mühlemann and Stefan C. Wolter.
Training participation of internationalized firms: establishment-level evidence for Switzerland.Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training, 6(2014)5. By Samuel Mühlemann.
Works councils, collective bargaining and apprenticeship training. Industrial Relations, 53(2014)2: 199-222. By Ben Kriechel, Samuel Muehlemann, Harald Pfeifer and Miriam Schuette.
Apprentice pay in Britain, Germany and Switzerland: institutions, market forces, market power.European Journal of Industrial Relations, 19(2013). By Paul Ryan, Uschi Backes-Gellner, Silvia Teuber and Karin Wagner.
Effects of Training on Employee Suggestions and Promotions: Evidence from Personnel Records.Schmalenbach Business Review, 65(2013)3: 270-287. By Christian Pfeifer, Simon Janssen, Philip Yang and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
Invest in the Best or Compensate the Weak? An Empirical Analysis of the Heterogeneity of a Firm’s Provision of Human Capital.Evidence Based Human Resource Management, 1(2013)1: 80-95. By Samuel Mühlemann, Romy Braendli and Stefan C. Wolter.
Die duale Lehre eine Erfolgsgeschichte - auch für Betriebe. Ergebnisse der dritten Kosten-Nutzen-Erhebung der Lehrlingsausbildung aus der Sicht der Betriebe. (2012). Glarus/Chur: Rüegger Verlag. By Mirjam Strupler and Stefan C. Wolter.
Hiring costs of skilled workers and the supply of firm-sponsored training. IZA DP No. 6344, 2012. By Marc Blatter, Samuel Muehlemann, Samuel Schenker and Stefan C. Wolter.
The Costs of Hiring Skilled Workers. European Economic Review, 56 (2012): 20-35. By Marc Blatter, Samuel Muehlemann and Samuel Schenker.
The Impact of an Adult Education Voucher Program: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment.Journal of Public Economics, 96(2012): 569–583. By Guido Schwerdt, Dolores Messer, Ludger Wössmann and Stefan C. Wolter.
Training participation of a firm’s aging workforce. Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training , 4(2012): 131-147. By Christian Pfeifer, Simon Janssen, Philip Yang and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
Corporate Ownership and Initial Training in Britain, Germany and Switzerland. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 55, 2011. By Paul Ryan, Karin Wagner, Silvia Teuber and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
Financial Aspects of Apprenticeship Training in Germany, Great Britain and Switzerland. Düsseldorf: Setzkasten GmbH 2011. By Paul Ryan, Karin Wagner, Silvia Teuber and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
Firm-sponsored Training and Poaching Externalities in Regional Labor Markets. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 41(2011)6: 560-570. By Samuel Muehlemann and Stefan C. Wolter.
Apprenticeship Training, what for: Investment or Substitution? International Journal of Manpower, 31(2010)5, 545–562. By Uschi Backes-Gellner and Jens Mohrenweiser.
Cost and Benefit of Apprenticeship Training: Evidence from Swiss Firms. Canadian Apprenticeship Journal, 1(2010): 45-55. By Samuel Mühlemann.
Privatwirtschaftliche Finanzierung beruflicher Erstausbildung. In: Ed. Heiner Barz, (2010), Handbuch Bildungsfinanzierung. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag, 391-400. By Stefan C. Wolter.
The Financing of Apprenticeship Training in the Light of Labor Market Regulations. Labour Economics, 17(2010)5: 799-809. By Samuel Mühlemann, Harald Pfeifer, Günter Walden, Felix Wenzelmann and Stefan C. Wolter.
Why do firms train apprentices? The net cost puzzle reconsidered. Labour Economics, 16(2009)6: 631-637. By Jens Mohrenweiser and Thomas Zwick.
Ausbildungskosten und -nutzen und die betriebliche Nachfrage nach Lehrlingen. Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, 9(2008)1: 90-108. By Stefan C. Wolter.
Lehrlingsausbildung - ökonomisch betrachtet. (2007). Zürich/Chur : Rüegger Verlag. By Samuel Mühlemann, Stefan C. Wolter, Marc Fuhrer and Adrian Wüest.