Individual Barriers to Firm Training Participation: Evidence from a Large-Scale Experiment among Employees

Last registered on April 16, 2024
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Individual Barriers to Firm Training Participation: Evidence from a Large-Scale Experiment among Employees
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0013319
Initial registration date
April 08, 2024

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
April 16, 2024, 1:08 PM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name
Hanna Brosch
Affiliation
Technical University of Munich
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Philipp Lergetporer
PI Affiliation
Technical University of Munich
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PI Name
Florian Schoner
PI Affiliation
ifo Institute
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2024-04-15
End date
2024-05-31
Keywords
Education, Labor
Additional Keywords
professional development, firm training, subjective beliefs, information provision experiment
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
New technologies have a major impact on the labor market and change the demand for jobs and skills. In this context, firm training emerges as a pivotal strategy for skill adaptation. Nevertheless, participation in firm training is relatively low, especially among low-skilled workers who could benefit the most from up- and reskilling. Existing literature identifies two primary barriers: (1) employees’ uncertainty about the returns to firm training, and (2) employees’ beliefs that they are no longer used to learning. We conduct an information provision treatment with the aim of mitigating these barriers. Our main outcome of interest is employees’ likelihood to participate in firm training and we assess the impact of our information provision treatment on this likelihood.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Brosch, Hanna, Philipp Lergetporer and Florian Schoner. 2024. "Individual Barriers to Firm Training Participation: Evidence from a Large-Scale Experiment among Employees." AEA RCT Registry. April 16. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.13319-1.0
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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
We randomly assign all respondents to a control group or a treatment group. The treatment group receives general information about the positive returns to firm training and a short text highlighting that acquiring new skills is possible at any age.

Respondents in the control group receive no information.
Intervention Start Date
2024-04-15
Intervention End Date
2024-05-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Our primary outcome is respondents’ likelihood of participation in firm training.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
The outcome question on the likelihood of participation in firm training:
“How likely is it that you will accept the offer...
... if the costs of firm training are covered fully by the employer: ... %
... if you have to bear part of the costs of firm training amounting to 20% of your current net monthly salary yourself: ... %”

To answer this question, respondents can indicate a number from 0 to 100.
We construct a summary index out of both outcomes.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
We further give respondents the possibility to acquire information about firm training opportunities. We will use this information acquisition as an additional outcome measuring planned training participation.

We further plan to investigate treatment effect heterogeneity with respect to
(i) respondents’ prior beliefs
(ii) respondents’ own educational attainment/skill level
(iii) respondents’ age

Additionally, we will perform an exploratory analysis on further heterogeneities by respondents’ type of job (e.g., job characteristics, exposure to structural change), prior firm training participation, and further respondent characteristics.
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)
The question on whether respondents would like to receive further information about firm training is worded as follows:
“Are you interested in firm training?
The Federal Employment Agency offers an online portal where you can search for the right firm training for you in order to make specific suggestions to your employer. The courses offered there are often co-financed by the employer.
Would you like to receive a link to the online portal at the end of the survey? Yes/No”

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We conduct the experiment in a sample of 3,000 employees in Germany aged 25 to 55 years. The survey is conducted in cooperation with Talk Online Panel. The recruitment and polling is managed by Talk Online Panel, who collect the data via an online platform. That is, our participants answer the survey questions autonomously on their own digital devices. Randomization is carried out by Qualtrics, the survey provider at the individual level, using a computer.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization is carried out by the randomizer of the survey platform, using a computer.
Randomization Unit
At the individual level
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
3,000
Sample size: planned number of observations
3,000, 1/2 (approximately 1,500) will be assigned to each of the two experimental groups.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
1,500 control group, 1,500 treatment group
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
None
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
German Association for Experimental Economic Research e.V.
IRB Approval Date
2024-04-03
IRB Approval Number
7Wpkowau
Analysis Plan