The costs and benefits of apprenticeship training : evidence from Swiss firms

Abstract

"Dual apprenticeship training, which combines vocational education at school and training at the workplace, is of great importance in Switzerland. More than half of each cohort of school leavers at age 15 enrols in such a program every year. Apprentices spend the majority of their time in a firm; thus economic aspects may play an important role in a firm's training strategy. The results of a representative firm-level survey in Switzerland show that on average the apprentices' productive contributions exceed the firm's training expenses by roughly 10 percent. However, one third of all apprenticeships constitute a net investment to the firm, suggesting potential post-training returns to apprenticeship training." (Autorenreferat, BIBB-Doku)