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Abstract
- Short Abstract
- The study presented in this paper focusses on the (differences in) effectiveness of various training measures for unemployed job seekers. The usefulness of training for the unemployed has been doubted. Counter arguments are that training does not increase labour participation due to substitution effects and 'deadweight losses'. However, there are clear indications that training does pay off on an individual level. Until now, the contribution of particular 'design characteristics' of different training measures to their (in)effectiveness in terms of the extent to which former trainees are able to find and maintain gainful employment, have been neglected in most of the studies in this area. The study presented in the proposed paper focusses on the question which organisational, curricular and instructional characteristics might explain possible differences in the effectiveness of different training measures. The study is a Dutch follow-up and partial replication of an international comparative study that addressed the same question. Though national in character, the findings of the study are relevant from a European perspective, given the European policy that promotes active labour market policies in all Member States (see e.g. the Lisbon Strategy).
- Long Abstract
- Background of the study
- Training measures for (long-term) unemployed job seekers are still the core of the activating labour market policy in the Netherlands. Given the present prosperous economic situation, unemployment as such is not the biggest problem. Some branches actually suffer from a lack of qualified personnel at different levels. Nevertheless, combating unemployment remains an important policy issue, not in the least due to the agreements in this area made in the European policy context. Most important target groups from a policy perspective are those unemployed job seekers that need substantial support, among which various forms of training, in order to be able to successfully re-enter the labour market. Various studies (Dutch as well as some international) have shown that there are differences in the effectiveness of different types of training, in terms of finding and maintaining a job. Until now, however, the influence of process characteristics of the training offered -that is the curriculum and instructional design variables- on the effectiveness of the training has hardly been investigated. In an international comparative study, funded under the Targeted Socio-Economic Research Programme (Fourth Framework Programme) it has been attempted to identify these process characteristics that might explain differences in effectiveness of different training measures. Although, due to national differences in policy context and policy measures, it has not been able to adequately model the explanatory variables (in a multi-level model), the research project has given indications with regard to the factors that might contribute to differences in effectiveness. Especially the intake procedures applied (in particular "creaming"), the extent to which a practical component is included in the training, the design of that practical component (how 'realistic' is it) and the nature and intensity of guidance and counselling provided to the participants, appear to influence the effectiveness of training measures for unemployed job seekers (cf. Brandsma et al., 1999).
- Research question and methodology
- The research presented in the proposed paper concerns a follow-up (and partially a replication) of the international research project in the Netherlands. The project draws upon human capital theory on the one hand and school effectiveness research on the other hand. Starting from the elementary utility function that underpins human capital theory (investment in training results in increasing marginal benefits, e.g. income), the core question in this research project is which process or design characteristics of training measures for the unemployed, influence the effectiveness of these training measures. In the case of this study it is not income that is taking as the dependent variable, but other output indicators like finding gainful employment, job search time, stability of the job obtained and the extent to which the job 'matches' the training undertaken.
The study is conducted in four regions in the Netherlands, which have been selected according to criteria like economic development, unemployment rate and proximity of other EU-Member State labour markets. In a first stage, all potential providers (both public and private) of training for the unemployed have been approached in order to ensure whether they have been involved in training unemployed persons in the period 2001-2002. In the next stage questionnaires have been administered among those providers actually involved in these training measures in order to obtain data with regard to organisational, curricular and instructional characteristics of the training provided. In the third stage, information about participants who left the training provided (be it after full completion or preliminary) is obtained through the management of the training providers; it concerns their names and addresses. These former trainees receive also a questionnaire addressing issues like their motivation for participation, their experiences with and valuation of the training and their labour market (or further education) career after they left the training.
- Results
- The data collection has been finalised and the data-analysis will be concluded before the summer. The proposed paper will in particular address the design characteristics of the different training measures in relation to the different target groups they attempt to address (differentiated according to gender, age and ethnicity). The results will focus on possible effects of the policy drive towards further decentralisation, marketisation and output control, on the transparency of the training market and the coherence of the training offer. In addition to the results with regard to differences in the effectiveness of the training measures investigated will be presented.
Created by
mdavies
Last modified
2004-09-08 04:18 PM
Last cached: 2008-12-12 12:41 PM
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