Occupational skill specificity
The projects examine vocational and occupational skill profiles and their implications for labor market careers, mobility, and inequality in changing labor markets.
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
Labour market effects of work-related continuous education in Switzerland – evidence from administrative data.Economics of Education Review, 107(2025). By Stefan Denzler, Jens Ruhose and Stefan C. Wolter. Working Paper version
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.
How Middle-Skilled Workers Adjust to Immigration: The Role of Occupational Skill Specificity. International Journal of Manpower, 45(2024)8. By Damiano Pregaldini and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version
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. Working Paper version
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. Working Paper version
IT Skills, Occupation Specificity and Job Separations. Economics of Education Review, 92(2023). By Christian Eggenberger and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version
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. Working Paper version
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(2023): 75-111. By Fabienne Kiener, Christian Eggenberger and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version
Interpersonal, cognitive, and manual skills: How do they shape employment and wages? Labour Economics, 78(2022). By Esther M. Girsberger, Miriam Koomen and Matthias Krapf. Working Paper version
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. Working Paper version
Occupational Tasks and Wage Inequality in Germany: A Decomposition Analysis. Labour Economics, 79(2022). By Miriam Koomen and Uschi Backes- Gellner. Working Paper version
Routine job dynamics in the Swiss labor market. Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, 158(2022)1: 1-21. By Christian Gschwendt.
The Value of Specific Skills under Shock: High Risks and High Returns. Labour Economics, 78(2022). By Christian Eggenberger, Simon Janssen and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version
Business Cycles and Apprenticeships. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Economics and Finance, (2021). By Samuel Muehlemann and Stefan C. Wolter.
Labour market transitions after layoffs: the role of occupational skills. Oxford Economic Papers, 73(2021): 76-97. By Miriam Rinawi and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version
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. Open access under Working Paper version
Heterogeneous Returns to Education Over the Wage Distribution: Who Profits the Most? Labour Economics, 44(2017): 89-105. By Simone Balestra and Uschi Backes-Gellner. Working Paper version.
When a Door Closes, a Window Opens? Long-Term Labor Market Effects of Involuntary Separations.German Economic Review, 18(2017)1: 1-21. By Uschi Backes-Gellner and Simone Balestra. Working Paper version.
Spezifität von Ausbildungsberufen und berufliche Mobilität. Wirtschaft und Beruf - Zeitschrift für berufliche Bildung, (2015)1: 94-95. By Christian Eggenberger, Miriam Rinawi and Uschi Backes-Gellner.
A Comparison of Career Success between Graduates of Vocational and Academic Tertiary Education. Oxford Review of Education, 40(2014)2: 266- 291. By Uschi Backes-Gellner and Regula Geel. Working Paper version.
Occupational Mobility Within and Between Skill Clusters: An Empirical Analysis Based on the Skill Weights Approach.Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training, 3(2011)1: 21-38. By Uschi Backes-Gellner and Regula Geel.
Specificity of Occupational Training and Occupational Mobility: An Empirical Study Based on Lazear's Skill-Weights Approach. Education Economics, 19(2011)5. By Uschi Backes-Gellner, Regula Geel and Johannes Mure.
Differences in the educational paths of entrepreneurs and employees. Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training, 2(2010)2: 83-105. By Uschi Backes-Gellner, Simone N. Tuor and Daniela Wettstein.
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.
Berufliche Bildung und Mobilität: Erklärungen mit Hilfe des Skill-Weights Approach. Empirische Pädagogik, 23(2009)4: 479-498. By Uschi Backes-Gellner, Regula Geel and Johannes Mure.
Skill obsolescence, vintage effects and changing tasks. Applied Economics Quarterly, 55(2009)1: 83-104. By Uschi Backes-Gellner and Simon Janssen.