Gender Differences in the Effects of Vocational Training: Constraints on Women and Drop-Out Behavior

To address employability issues, promote productive self-employment, and reduce vulnerability to risky sexual behavior, in 2009 the Government of Malawi piloted a new apprenticeship program through the Technical Education and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA). TEVETA identified a pool of master craftspeople (MCs), based on their expertise and business performance, and provided them with a one-day training on how to use the customized training module specific to each of their trades (e.g. auto, clothing, construction, metalwork). Each MC trained between 1 and 8 youth at their workshop for approximately three months. The program was designed to provide apprenticeship rather than classroom-based training, and targeted mainly orphans or school dropouts aged 15-24.

Working with TEVETA, we evaluated the impact of the vocational training program on skill development, employment and well-being. Eligible youth, mainly orphans or school dropouts, from 28 districts in Malawi were randomly assigned to either the treatment group that started the program immediately, or the comparison group that started the program around four months later. Two-thirds of the 1,900 eligible youth were randomly assigned to the treatment group, while the remaining third was assigned to the comparison group.

Training started between August 2010 and May 2011 and lasted an average of three months—the exact duration depended on the type of skill being taught. We deployed a follow-up survey between June and August 2011, which included questions on time use, employment status, psychological well-being, risky sexual behavior, and trainee assessments of training quality.

Like many development programs, TEVETA suffered from several setbacks including trainees who did not receive training invitations, non-participation by invited trainees, and trainees who started but did not finish the program (dropouts). We tracked a large portion of program dropouts in order to examine the determinants and consequences of dropping out.

2010-08-01

2011-05-31

- skill development: self-reported level of expertise, participants’ ability to calculate profit, knowledge of how to start a business
- economic wellbeing: total earning, monthly expenditure
- employment
- health and wellbeing: self-reported happiness level and life satisfaction, comparative life improvement

The evaluation used an experimental phase-in design. Participants were randomly assigned to two cohorts, a treatment group that started the program immediately, and a control group that started the program around 4 months later on average, right around the time of the follow-up survey. We are therefore able to report short-run effects of training. Two thirds of the 1,900 eligible youth were assigned to treatment and the remaining third to the control group.

The baseline survey was collected in March-April 2010 on a random subset of the youth selected. We surveyed 1,122 individuals of the original 1,900, of whom 363 were in the control group and 759 were in the treatment group. Summary statistics from the baseline survey indicate that randomization was successful in achieving balance across treatment and control groups. Trainees reported to training between August 2010 and May 2011; the specific start date varied by district and by MC. Training lasted for three months on average, but varied depending on the type of skill being taught.

The follow-up survey was conducted in June-August, 2011. The follow-up survey included questions on time use, employment, psychological well-being, risky sexual behavior, and trainee assessments of training quality. In order to increase the sample size, we returned to the original pool of 1,900 youth who had been selected to participate in the study. The sample at follow-up is composed of the 755 baseline respondents who we were able to find at the time of follow-up, plus 274 new participants (181 treatment, 93 control), for a total of 1,029 respondents.
In addition, we surveyed all MCs regarding their experience as trainers and their perception of each of the trainees’ skills, diligence, effort, attendance, and so on. Finally, we also conducted a brief qualitative survey with the implementing agency’s desk officers regarding their experience with the intervention to inform future program design.

By computer using Excel and Stata

Individual

No

1,122 individuals

1,122 individuals

Treatment group (started the TEVETA program immediately): 759 individuals
Comparison group (started the program around four months later): 363 individuals

This paper provides experimental evidence on the effects of vocational and entrepreneurial training for Malawian youth, in an environment where access to schooling and formal sector employment is extremely low. It tracks a large fraction of program drop-outs—a common phenomenon in the training evaluation literature—and examines the determinants and consequences of dropping out and how it mediates the effects of such programs. The analysis finds that women make decisions in a more constrained environment, and their participation is affected by family obligations. Participation is more expensive for them, resulting in worse training experience. The training results in skills development, continued investment in human capital, and improved well-being, with more positive effects for men, but no improvements in labor market outcomes in the short run.

Cho, Yoonyoung, Davie Kalomba, Ahmed Mushfiq Mobarak, and Victor Orozco. "Gender Differences in the Effects of Vocational Training: Constraints on Women and Drop-out Behavior." World Bank Policy Research Working Paper #6545, July 2013.

https://www.povertyactionlab.org/sites/default/files/publications/540%20Gender%20Differences%20WB%20Working%20Paper%20July2013.pdf