The Effectiveness of Work Linked Vocational Training Programmes in Senegal

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of work-linked vocational training in Senegal. In order to do so, we focussed on four specific objectives. First, we identified the main factors that promote or limit access to work-linked vocational training by the youth. Second, we evaluated the impact of work-linked vocational training on the income of youth in the labour market. Third, we evaluated the impact of vocational training on access to regular and stable employment. Fourth, we evaluated the impact of vocational training on labour productivity. To achieve these objectives, we used an endogenous switching regression (ESR) model and an endogenous switching probit model. We examined the robustness of the results using propensity score matching. These methodologies take into account observed and unobserved factors, thus enabling us to handle selection and endogeneity problems that may be related to vocational training. They were used to evaluate data derived from the Employment Policy Improvement Survey (EAPE) that was carried out in 2018 in Senegal. The results suggest that the sampled groups of youth that participated in vocational training display characteristics that differ from those of the sampled groups of youth that did not participate in vocational training. The sampled groups of youths who benefitted from training had a probability 19.27 percentage points higher, on average, of accessing a permanent job, and 24.18 percentage points higher of accessing temporary employment. These youth also had a probability 57.8 percentage points higher of accessing stable employment than youth that did not benefit from vocational training.