Educational and occupational choices
These projects examine how skills, preferences, social background, technological change, and educational pathways influence individuals’ educational decisions, occupational aspirations, and labor market trajectories.
Choice Architecture in Occupational Choices. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 255, 2026. By Madison Dell, Enzo Brox, Patricia Palffy, Claudio Schilter and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
Generative AI and Career Choices. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 251, 2026. By Christian Gschwendt, Martina Viarengo and Thea S. Zoellner.
The role of AI use and AI training in school-to-work transitions. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 256, 2026. By Roman Theiler, Patricia Palffy and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
Classroom rank in math, occupational choices and labor market outcomes. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 222, 2025 (first version 2024). By Enzo Brox, Maddalena Davoli and Maurizio Strazzeri.
Early exposure to foreign language training and students’ educational trajectories. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 195, 2025 (first version 2022). By Maurizio Strazzeri, Enzo Brox, Chantal Oggenfuss and Stefan C. Wolter.
Empowering refugees: The role of comprehensive training programs in labor market integration. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 218, 2025 (first version 2024). By Chiara Zisler, Eric Bettinger and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
Ethnic Diversity in Compulsory Schooling and Occupational Choices: Can Diversity Increase the Supply in Care-Oriented Occupations.Industrial Relations, 65(2025)3: 279-311. By Damiano Pregaldini, Simone Balestra and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version
It’s all about maths! Skill requirements and the gender gap in occupational choice. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 237, 2025. By Thea Zöllner.
Reaching for Gold! The Impact of a Positive Reputation Shock on Career Choice. European Economic Review, 175(2025). By Daniel Goller and Stefan C. Wolter. Working Paper version
Students’ grit and their post-compulsory educational choices and trajectories: Evidence from Switzerland.Education Economics, (first published online 16.09.2025). By Janine Albiez, Maurizio Strazzeri and Stefan C. Wolter. Working Paper version
This time it's different - Generative Artificial Intelligence and Occupational Choice. Labour Economics, (first published online 08.06.2025). By Daniel Goller, Christian Gschwendt and Stefan C. Wolter. Working Paper version
Virtual vs. In-Person Career Fairs: The Impact on Search Activity and Diversity. Applied Economic Letters, (2025). By Daniel Goller, Chiara Graf and Stefan C. Wolter. Working Paper version
Classroom versus workbench: Labour market effects of firm-based learning. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 227, 2024. By Samuel Luethi.
Learning loss due to school change: A cause of major concern? European Education, 56(2024)1: 66-76. By Domenico Angelone, Chantal Oggenfuss and Stefan C. Wolter.
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.
Private tutoring and academic achievement in a selective education system. Education Economics, (2024). Maria Zumbuehl, Stefanie Hof and Stefan C. Wolter. Working Paper version
When patience pays off – evidence on cultural determinants of post-compulsory education achievement. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 226, 2024. By Samuel Luethi and Stefan C. Wolter.
Social Norms and Gendered Occupational Choices of Men and Women: Time to Turn the Tide?Industrial Relations, 62(2023)4: 380-410. By Patricia Palffy, Patrick Lehnert and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version
The Strength of Gender Norms and Gender-Stereotypical Occupational Aspirations Among Adolescents.Kyklos, 76(2023)1: 101-124. By Andreas Kuhn and Stefan C. Wolter. Working Paper version
«Against all odds»: Does awareness of the risk of failure matter for educational choices? Economics of Education Review, 87(2022). By Maria A. Cattaneo and Stefan C. Wolter. Working Paper version
Things versus People: Gender Differences in Vocational Interests and in Occupational Preferences. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 203(2022): 210-234. By Andreas Kuhn and Stefan C. Wolter. Working Paper version
Willingness to compete, gender and career choices along the whole ability distribution. Experimental Economics, 25(2022): 1299-1326. By Thomas Buser, Noemi Peter and Stefan C. Wolter. Working Paper version
Do Preferences and Biases predict Life Outcomes? Evidence from Education and Labor Market Entry Decisions. European Economic Review, 134(2021). By Uschi Backes-Gellner, Holger Herz, Michael Kosfeld and Yvonne Oswald. Working Paper version
"Too shocked to search." The COVID-19 shutdowns' impact on the search for apprenticeships.Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, 157(2021)6. By Daniel Goller and Stefan C. Wolter. Working Paper version
Brain drain from vocational to academic education at upper-secondary level? An empirical analysis for Switzerland. Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training, 12(2020)10. By Katharina Jaik. Working Paper version
From dreams to reality: market forces and changes from occupational intention to occupational choice. Journal of Education and Work, 32(2019)4: 320-334. By Katharina Jaik and Stefan C. Wolter. Open access under Working Paper version
The Development of Non-Cognitive Skills in Adolescence. Economics Letters, 163(2018): 40-45. By Peter Hoeschler, Simone Balestra and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version
Gender, Competitiveness, and Study Choices in High School: Evidence from Switzerland. American Economic Review: Papers & Proceedings, 107(2017)5: 125–130. By Thomas Buser, Noemi Peter and Stefan C. Wolter. Open access under Working Paper version
The native-migrant gap in the progression into and through upper-secondary education.Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 139, 2017. By Stefan C. Wolter and Maria Zumbuehl.
The Relative Importance of Type of Education and Subject Area: Empirical Evidence for Educational Decisions. Evidence-based HRM: a Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship, 5(2017)1: 30-58. By Curdin Pfister, Simone Tuor Sartore and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version.
Lost in Transition: The Influence of Locus of Control on Delaying Educational Decisions. Swiss Leading House "Economics of Education" Working Paper No. 118, 2016. By Katharina Jaik and Stefan C. Wolter.
Determinanten von beruflichen, akademischen und gemischten Bildungspfaden. In: Berufliche Passagen im Lebenslauf, (2015), Eds. K. Häfeli, M.P. Neuenschwander and S. Schumann. Springer. By Curdin Pfister and Simon Tuor Sartore.
Staying Within or Leaving the Apprenticeship System? Revisions of Educational Choices in Apprenticeship Training.Jahrbücher für Nationalökonomie und Statistik, 235(2015)6: 539-552. By Donata Bessey and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version.
Teaching in vocational education as a second career. Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training, 6(2014)8. By Stefanie Hof and Mirjam Strupler Leiser.
The Role of Hard-to-Obtain Information on Ability for the School-to-Work Transition. Empirical Economics, 46(2014)4: 1447-1471. By Barbara Müller and Stefan C. Wolter.
Earning While Learning: When and How Student Employment is Beneficial. Labour, 26(2012)3: 313-340. By Uschi Backes-Gellner and Regula Geel.
Career Changers in Teaching Jobs: A Case Study Based on the Swiss Vocational Education System.IZA DP No. 5806, 2011. By Stefanie Hof, Mirjam Strupler and Stefan C. Wolter.
Do Students Expect Compensation for Wage Risk? Economics of Education Review, 30(2011)2: 215-227. By Jürg Schweri, Joop Hartog and Stefan C. Wolter.
The Consequences of Being Different: Statistical Discrimination and the School-to-Work Transition.IZA DP No. 5474, 2011. By Barbara Mueller and Stefan C. Wolter.
Risk-Return Trade-Offs to Different Educational Paths: Vocational, Academic and Mixed. International Journal of Manpower, 31(2010)5: 495-519. By Uschi Backes-Gellner and Simone N. Tuor.
PISA and the Transition to the Labour Market. Review of Labour Economics and Industrial Relations, 23(2009)1: 111-137. By Kathrin Bertschy, M. Alejandra Cattaneo and Stefan C. Wolter.