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Personnel policy adjustments when apprentice positions are unfilled: Evidence from German establishment data

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  • Hinz, Tina

Abstract

German firms have increasing difficulties in filling apprentice positions. I study how firms adjust their personnel policies when they face unfilled apprentice positions. Using the IAB Establishment Panel (2008-2014) and applying fixed effects panel estimations, I find that small firms react by hiring more unskilled workers. I do not observe an intensified use of personnel policies directed at the existing workforce, such as further training, retention of apprenticeship graduates or conversion of fixed-term into permanent contracts. Moreover, the results do not indicate that firms with unfilled apprentice positions turn away from apprenticeship training. My findings suggest that most training firms may not regard unfilled apprentice positions as a serious problem (so far).

Suggested Citation

  • Hinz, Tina, 2016. "Personnel policy adjustments when apprentice positions are unfilled: Evidence from German establishment data," Discussion Papers 99, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Labour and Regional Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:faulre:99
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    Cited by:

    1. Lutz Bellmann & Mario Bossler & Hans-Dieter Gerner & Olaf Hübler, 2017. "Training and minimum wages: first evidence from the introduction of the minimum wage in Germany," IZA Journal of Labor Economics, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 6(1), pages 1-22, December.
    2. Kühnle, Daniel & Oberfichtner, Michael, 2017. "Does Early Child Care Attendance Influence Children's Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Skill Development?," IZA Discussion Papers 10661, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Oberfichtner Michael & Schnabel Claus, 2019. "The German Model of Industrial Relations: (Where) Does It Still Exist?," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 239(1), pages 5-37, January.
    4. Dummert Sandra & Leber Ute & Schwengler Barbara, 2019. "Unfilled Training Positions in Germany – Regional and Establishment-Specific Determinants," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 239(4), pages 661-701, August.
    5. repec:iab:iabfme:201802(en is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Hinz, Tina & Stegmaier, Jens, 2018. "Providing a consistent measure of further training for the IAB Establishment Panel," FDZ Methodenreport 201802_en, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    apprenticeship training; personnel policy; Germany;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I29 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Other
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs
    • M53 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Training

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