Becker's theory of human capital predicts that minimum wages should reduce training investments for affected workers because they prevent these workers from taking wage cuts necessary to finance training. In contrast, in noncompetitive labor markets, minimum wages tend to increase training of...

This paper creates a pseudo cohort of individuals who left school in the mid-1990s, usingLabour Force Survey. The extent of low achievement at school amongst this group isdocumented, and then the impact of such low achievement on labour force status is estimated.The main focus of the paper is...

This paper uses recent data from the UK Labour Force Survey to estimate the wage gains thatindividuals make on average if they complete an apprenticeship programme. The resultssuggest gains of around 5-7% for men, but no benefit for women. Further analysis extendsthe results by considering the...

Over the last two decades, earnings in the United States increased at the top and at the bottom of the wage distribution but not in the middle - the intensely debated middle class squeeze. At the same time there was a substantial decline of employment in middle-skill production and clerical...