Elite skills have become crucial in today’s superstar economy. We develop a multi-period skillformation model where we … “underdog-incentive effect” implies that “educated underdogs” obtain superior adult skills. We find support for this mechanism …

We develop novel measures of early-career skills that are more detailed, comprehensive, and labor-market-relevant than …-approved, nationally standardized apprenticeship plans. These plans provide more than 13,000 different skills and the exact duration of … skills acquired during apprenticeship are highly – yet differently – rewarded. We also document rising returns to digital and …

college enrollment and graduation. They also affect outcomes in later life, increasing cognitive skills and improving labor … later years. Recessions at high-school graduation narrow the gender gaps in numeracy skills and labor-market success …