Berufliche Weiterbildung und individuelle Arbeitslosigkeitsdauer in West- und Ostdeutschland : eine mikroökonometrische Analyse (Further vocational training and individual duration ofunemployment in western and eastern Germany : a micro-econometric analysis)

"In this study a comparative empirical analysis of the effects of further vocational training on the individual duration of unemployment is carried out for western and eastern Germany. The information from the socio-economic panel for western Germany (1984-1994) and for eastern Germany (1990-1995) is used as a data basis. In addition to this there is a brief overview of the development of unemployment and the development of expenditure on further vocational training in order to make clear the relevance of the evaluation research for social policy. The modelling of the selection problem is done with the aid of matching approaches which are based on the estimation of a panel-probit model for the probability of participation. Discrete hazard rate models serve to determine the effects of further vocational training measures on the individual duration of unemployment. The empirical findings show a trend of positive effects for western Germany for courses lasting up to 6 months, which decrease, however, in the long-term (after 2 years). Courses lasting longer than 6 months, on the other hand, have no significant effects; they show more negative tendencies. For eastern Germany no significant effects can be observed, long courses also tend to have a negative effect. Owing to a lack of differentiated information about individual types of measure and the low case numbers in the samples, the empirical findings can be interpreted only as statements about trends." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))