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Supply Shocks in the Market for Apprenticeships: Evidence from a German High School Reform

Author

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  • Pfann, Gerard
  • Muehlemann, Samuel
  • Pfeifer, Harald
  • Dietrich, Hans

Abstract

This paper studies the effects of the G8 high school reform in Germany. The reform reduced minimum duration to obtain a high school degree (Abitur) from 9 to 8 years. First, we present a simple model based on a CES technology with heterogeneous inputs to conjecture possible effects of a supply shock of high education apprenticeships. Implementation of the reform across states (Länder) has been realized in different years. A difference-in-differences estimation strategy is used to identify the effects of one-time supply shock in market for high-educated apprentices. Training firms almost fully and immediately absorbed the additional supply of high school graduates in the apprenticeship market. No evidence is found for substitution effects between low and high education apprenticeships. The model explains that these effects may be due to sticky and too low collectively bargained wages for high education apprenticeships relative to their productivity. This renders the market for apprenticeships inefficient.

Suggested Citation

  • Pfann, Gerard & Muehlemann, Samuel & Pfeifer, Harald & Dietrich, Hans, 2018. "Supply Shocks in the Market for Apprenticeships: Evidence from a German High School Reform," CEPR Discussion Papers 12669, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:12669
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Dorner, Matthias & Görlitz, Katja, 2020. "Training, wages and a missing school graduation cohort," IAB-Discussion Paper 202028, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    2. Aftab Ahmed Memon & Zhimin Liu, 2019. "Assessment of Sustainable Development of the Performance of Higher Education Credentials in the Transitive Labor Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-14, May.
    3. Thomsen, Stephan L. & Trunzer, Johannes, 2020. "Did the Bologna Process Challenge the German Apprenticeship System? Evidence from a Natural Experiment," IZA Discussion Papers 13806, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Apprenticeship market; Labor supply shock; G8 reform;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General

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