Article Green Open Access 2020

How vocational education made women better off but left men behind

Labour Economics
Journal · Vol. 65 · Art. 101824
Abstract

This paper examines the interaction between vocational and soft skills training on labor market outcomes and expectations of youth in the Dominican Republic. Applicants to a training program were randomly assigned to one of three modalities: a full treatment consisting of vocational and soft skills training plus an internship, a partial treatment consisting of soft skills training plus an internship, or a control group with no training or internship. We find strong and lasting effects of the program on personal skills acquisition and expectations, but results are markedly different for men and women. Shortly after completing the program, all participants reported increased expectations for improved employment and livelihoods. This result is reversed for male participants after three and a half years, potentially explained by the program's negative short-run labor market effects for that group. On the other hand, female participants experience improved labor market outcomes in the short run and exhibit substantially higher levels of personal skills after three and a half years; the women in the study became more optimistic and reported higher self-esteem. Men experienced no such benefits. Our results suggest that job-training programs of this type can be transformative – for women, life skills mattered and made a difference. But they can also have a downside if, as was the case for men in this study, training creates expectations that are not met. Although, overall, impacts are similar for the full treatment and the partial treatment, the positive impacts on soft skills for women, and the adverse impacts on labor outcomes and expectations for men are stronger for the full treatment. © 2020

Keywords

Author Keywords

Vocational education job training Field experiment youth employment Cognitive and non-cognitive skills

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, D.C., DC, United States
University of Nottingham, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
Funding & Acknowledgements
World Bank Group, WBG
Funding text 1: This document is based on the impact evaluation of the 2008-2009 cohorts of the Programa Juventud y Empleo - República Dominicana, “Youth and Employment Program, Dominican Republic. Impact Evaluation Report for the 2008-2009 Cohorts,” prepared by Evelyn Vezza, Brígida García, Guillermo Cruces and Julián Amendolaggine. Juan Martín Moreno provided comments throughout the project, and Brigida García provided crucial inputs for the preparation of this document. Funding for this evaluation was provided by BNPP, GAP and SIEF. The report and this paper build on the work of professionals from the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Labor and staff and consultants from the World Bank. These teams designed and carried out the intervention, its evaluation strategy and the data collection tools, and produced documentation that has been partially incorporated to this document. The members of these teams from the Ministerio de Trabajo, República Dominicana are: José Luis Polanco (PJyE), Douglas Hasbún (PJyE), Brígida García (PJyE), Isabel Tavernas (INFOTEP). From the World Bank: Paul Gertler, Co-Principal Investigator; Sebastian Martinez, Co-Principal Investigator; Juan Martín Moreno, Team Task Leader; Cornelia Tesliuc, Original Task Team Leader; Paloma Acevedo, Impact Evaluation Manager; Rodrigo Muñoz,World Bank Consultant for survey and data quality control; Juan Muñoz World Bank Consultant on baseline survey and data quality control; Carlos Asenjo, Coordinated Life Skills survey module; Myra Brea, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module; Sigrid Vivo, World Bank Consultant for initial experimental design; Gustavo Bobonis, World Bank Consultant for initial experimental design; Mary Claux, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module; María Isabel de la Rosa, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module. G. Cruces acknowledges financial support from the research projects “Fostering capacities in Impact Evaluation in Latin America” and “Enhancing Women's Economic Empowerment through Better Policies in Latin America” (both projects by CEDLAS with the support of the International Development Research Centre-IDRC, Canada) for a visiting period at UC Berkeley's Center for Effective Global Action. The Center's support for this visit is also gratefully acknowledged.; Funding text 2: This document is based on the impact evaluation of the 2008-2009 cohorts of the Programa Juventud y Empleo - Rep?blica Dominicana, ?Youth and Employment Program, Dominican Republic. Impact Evaluation Report for the 2008-2009 Cohorts,? prepared by Evelyn Vezza, Br?gida Garc?a, Guillermo Cruces and Juli?n Amendolaggine. Juan Mart?n Moreno provided comments throughout the project, and Brigida Garc?a provided crucial inputs for the preparation of this document. Funding for this evaluation was provided by BNPP, GAP and SIEF. The report and this paper build on the work of professionals from the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Labor and staff and consultants from the World Bank. These teams designed and carried out the intervention, its evaluation strategy and the data collection tools, and produced documentation that has been partially incorporated to this document. The members of these teams from the Ministerio de Trabajo, Rep?blica Dominicana are: Jos? Luis Polanco (PJyE), Douglas Hasb?n (PJyE), Br?gida Garc?a (PJyE), Isabel Tavernas (INFOTEP). From the World Bank: Paul Gertler, Co-Principal Investigator; Sebastian Martinez, Co-Principal Investigator; Juan Mart?n Moreno, Team Task Leader; Cornelia Tesliuc, Original Task Team Leader; Paloma Acevedo, Impact Evaluation Manager; Rodrigo Mu?oz,World Bank Consultant for survey and data quality control; Juan Mu?oz World Bank Consultant on baseline survey and data quality control; Carlos Asenjo, Coordinated Life Skills survey module; Myra Brea, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module; Sigrid Vivo, World Bank Consultant for initial experimental design; Gustavo Bobonis, World Bank Consultant for initial experimental design; Mary Claux, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module; Mar?a Isabel de la Rosa, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module. G. Cruces acknowledges financial support from the research projects ?Fostering capacities in Impact Evaluation in Latin America? and ?Enhancing Women's Economic Empowerment through Better Policies in Latin America? (both projects by CEDLAS with the support of the International Development Research Centre-IDRC, Canada) for a visiting period at UC Berkeley's Center for Effective Global Action. The Center's support for this visit is also gratefully acknowledged.
Science and Industry Endowment Fund, SIEF
Funding text 1: This document is based on the impact evaluation of the 2008-2009 cohorts of the Programa Juventud y Empleo - República Dominicana, “Youth and Employment Program, Dominican Republic. Impact Evaluation Report for the 2008-2009 Cohorts,” prepared by Evelyn Vezza, Brígida García, Guillermo Cruces and Julián Amendolaggine. Juan Martín Moreno provided comments throughout the project, and Brigida García provided crucial inputs for the preparation of this document. Funding for this evaluation was provided by BNPP, GAP and SIEF. The report and this paper build on the work of professionals from the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Labor and staff and consultants from the World Bank. These teams designed and carried out the intervention, its evaluation strategy and the data collection tools, and produced documentation that has been partially incorporated to this document. The members of these teams from the Ministerio de Trabajo, República Dominicana are: José Luis Polanco (PJyE), Douglas Hasbún (PJyE), Brígida García (PJyE), Isabel Tavernas (INFOTEP). From the World Bank: Paul Gertler, Co-Principal Investigator; Sebastian Martinez, Co-Principal Investigator; Juan Martín Moreno, Team Task Leader; Cornelia Tesliuc, Original Task Team Leader; Paloma Acevedo, Impact Evaluation Manager; Rodrigo Muñoz,World Bank Consultant for survey and data quality control; Juan Muñoz World Bank Consultant on baseline survey and data quality control; Carlos Asenjo, Coordinated Life Skills survey module; Myra Brea, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module; Sigrid Vivo, World Bank Consultant for initial experimental design; Gustavo Bobonis, World Bank Consultant for initial experimental design; Mary Claux, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module; María Isabel de la Rosa, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module. G. Cruces acknowledges financial support from the research projects “Fostering capacities in Impact Evaluation in Latin America” and “Enhancing Women's Economic Empowerment through Better Policies in Latin America” (both projects by CEDLAS with the support of the International Development Research Centre-IDRC, Canada) for a visiting period at UC Berkeley's Center for Effective Global Action. The Center's support for this visit is also gratefully acknowledged.; Funding text 2: This document is based on the impact evaluation of the 2008-2009 cohorts of the Programa Juventud y Empleo - Rep?blica Dominicana, ?Youth and Employment Program, Dominican Republic. Impact Evaluation Report for the 2008-2009 Cohorts,? prepared by Evelyn Vezza, Br?gida Garc?a, Guillermo Cruces and Juli?n Amendolaggine. Juan Mart?n Moreno provided comments throughout the project, and Brigida Garc?a provided crucial inputs for the preparation of this document. Funding for this evaluation was provided by BNPP, GAP and SIEF. The report and this paper build on the work of professionals from the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Labor and staff and consultants from the World Bank. These teams designed and carried out the intervention, its evaluation strategy and the data collection tools, and produced documentation that has been partially incorporated to this document. The members of these teams from the Ministerio de Trabajo, Rep?blica Dominicana are: Jos? Luis Polanco (PJyE), Douglas Hasb?n (PJyE), Br?gida Garc?a (PJyE), Isabel Tavernas (INFOTEP). From the World Bank: Paul Gertler, Co-Principal Investigator; Sebastian Martinez, Co-Principal Investigator; Juan Mart?n Moreno, Team Task Leader; Cornelia Tesliuc, Original Task Team Leader; Paloma Acevedo, Impact Evaluation Manager; Rodrigo Mu?oz,World Bank Consultant for survey and data quality control; Juan Mu?oz World Bank Consultant on baseline survey and data quality control; Carlos Asenjo, Coordinated Life Skills survey module; Myra Brea, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module; Sigrid Vivo, World Bank Consultant for initial experimental design; Gustavo Bobonis, World Bank Consultant for initial experimental design; Mary Claux, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module; Mar?a Isabel de la Rosa, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module. G. Cruces acknowledges financial support from the research projects ?Fostering capacities in Impact Evaluation in Latin America? and ?Enhancing Women's Economic Empowerment through Better Policies in Latin America? (both projects by CEDLAS with the support of the International Development Research Centre-IDRC, Canada) for a visiting period at UC Berkeley's Center for Effective Global Action. The Center's support for this visit is also gratefully acknowledged.
International Development Research Centre, IDRC
Funding text 1: This document is based on the impact evaluation of the 2008-2009 cohorts of the Programa Juventud y Empleo - República Dominicana, “Youth and Employment Program, Dominican Republic. Impact Evaluation Report for the 2008-2009 Cohorts,” prepared by Evelyn Vezza, Brígida García, Guillermo Cruces and Julián Amendolaggine. Juan Martín Moreno provided comments throughout the project, and Brigida García provided crucial inputs for the preparation of this document. Funding for this evaluation was provided by BNPP, GAP and SIEF. The report and this paper build on the work of professionals from the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Labor and staff and consultants from the World Bank. These teams designed and carried out the intervention, its evaluation strategy and the data collection tools, and produced documentation that has been partially incorporated to this document. The members of these teams from the Ministerio de Trabajo, República Dominicana are: José Luis Polanco (PJyE), Douglas Hasbún (PJyE), Brígida García (PJyE), Isabel Tavernas (INFOTEP). From the World Bank: Paul Gertler, Co-Principal Investigator; Sebastian Martinez, Co-Principal Investigator; Juan Martín Moreno, Team Task Leader; Cornelia Tesliuc, Original Task Team Leader; Paloma Acevedo, Impact Evaluation Manager; Rodrigo Muñoz,World Bank Consultant for survey and data quality control; Juan Muñoz World Bank Consultant on baseline survey and data quality control; Carlos Asenjo, Coordinated Life Skills survey module; Myra Brea, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module; Sigrid Vivo, World Bank Consultant for initial experimental design; Gustavo Bobonis, World Bank Consultant for initial experimental design; Mary Claux, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module; María Isabel de la Rosa, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module. G. Cruces acknowledges financial support from the research projects “Fostering capacities in Impact Evaluation in Latin America” and “Enhancing Women's Economic Empowerment through Better Policies in Latin America” (both projects by CEDLAS with the support of the International Development Research Centre-IDRC, Canada) for a visiting period at UC Berkeley's Center for Effective Global Action. The Center's support for this visit is also gratefully acknowledged.; Funding text 2: This document is based on the impact evaluation of the 2008-2009 cohorts of the Programa Juventud y Empleo - Rep?blica Dominicana, ?Youth and Employment Program, Dominican Republic. Impact Evaluation Report for the 2008-2009 Cohorts,? prepared by Evelyn Vezza, Br?gida Garc?a, Guillermo Cruces and Juli?n Amendolaggine. Juan Mart?n Moreno provided comments throughout the project, and Brigida Garc?a provided crucial inputs for the preparation of this document. Funding for this evaluation was provided by BNPP, GAP and SIEF. The report and this paper build on the work of professionals from the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Labor and staff and consultants from the World Bank. These teams designed and carried out the intervention, its evaluation strategy and the data collection tools, and produced documentation that has been partially incorporated to this document. The members of these teams from the Ministerio de Trabajo, Rep?blica Dominicana are: Jos? Luis Polanco (PJyE), Douglas Hasb?n (PJyE), Br?gida Garc?a (PJyE), Isabel Tavernas (INFOTEP). From the World Bank: Paul Gertler, Co-Principal Investigator; Sebastian Martinez, Co-Principal Investigator; Juan Mart?n Moreno, Team Task Leader; Cornelia Tesliuc, Original Task Team Leader; Paloma Acevedo, Impact Evaluation Manager; Rodrigo Mu?oz,World Bank Consultant for survey and data quality control; Juan Mu?oz World Bank Consultant on baseline survey and data quality control; Carlos Asenjo, Coordinated Life Skills survey module; Myra Brea, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module; Sigrid Vivo, World Bank Consultant for initial experimental design; Gustavo Bobonis, World Bank Consultant for initial experimental design; Mary Claux, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module; Mar?a Isabel de la Rosa, World Bank Consultant on Life Skills survey module. G. Cruces acknowledges financial support from the research projects ?Fostering capacities in Impact Evaluation in Latin America? and ?Enhancing Women's Economic Empowerment through Better Policies in Latin America? (both projects by CEDLAS with the support of the International Development Research Centre-IDRC, Canada) for a visiting period at UC Berkeley's Center for Effective Global Action. The Center's support for this visit is also gratefully acknowledged.
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