|
Field
Trial Title
|
Before
The Role of Skills and Peers in Closing the Gender Gap in the Tech Industry: Evidence from an RCT
|
After
Coding Bootcamps for Female Digital Employment: Evidence from an RCT in Argentina and Colombia
|
|
Field
Abstract
|
Before
This project analyzes the impact of a computer programming intensive training course (bootcamp) on female's labor market and educational outcomes. It further explores the role that peers have on student performance and final outcomes. We aim to answer the following research questions: (i) does acquiring the skills demanded by the IT sector have an effect on female labor market and educational outcomes? (ii) Could access to a female peer increase the probability of acquiring these skills? (iii) Does access to this peer have impacts on females’ outcomes? In order to answer our main research questions, we design an RCT in Buenos Aires, Argentina and in Bogotá, Colombia. We do a cross-cut random assignment of: (i) a scholarship for young women to cover between 60 and 80\% of the cost of a ready-to-work computer programming bootcamp, and (ii) access to a female peer (in the form of an encouragement to form a work team with another female classmate). This will allow us to analyze the causal effect of skill acquisition and peer effects on females’ educational and labor market outcomes.
|
After
This paper evaluates the causal effects of a high-quality, intensive, part-time computer coding Bootcamp on skill acquisition and employment outcomes on a sample of young female participants. Spots ar offered in an oversubscribed coding course to a random subset of applicants in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Bogotá, Colombia. We do a cross-cut random assignment of: (i) a spot in the course with a scholarship to cover most of the cost of the tuition, and (ii) access to a female peer (in the form of an encouragement to form a work team with another female classmate). We evaluate the impact of the BootCamp on females' labor market and educational outcomes. In particular, we aim to answer the following questions: (i) Does the BootCamp increase participants' skills demanded by the IT sector? (ii) Does the Bootcamp help participants access a job in the IT sector? (ii) Does access to a female peer increase the probability of acquiring these skills (taking up the BootCamp)?
|
|
Field
Trial End Date
|
Before
January 31, 2022
|
After
December 15, 2022
|
|
Field
JEL Code(s)
|
Before
|
After
C21, I26, J16, J21, J24, J48, O12
|
|
Field
Last Published
|
Before
March 12, 2020 07:00 PM
|
After
January 30, 2022 10:00 AM
|
|
Field
Intervention (Public)
|
Before
We do a cross-cut random assignment of: (i) a scholarship for young women to cover between 60 and 80\% of the cost of a ready-to-work computer programming bootcamp, and (ii) access to a female peer (in the form of an encouragement to form a work team with another female classmate).
The bootcamp is a 170-hour (four-month) course that requires 10.5 hours a week, and it provides training on both computational and soft skills. The former skills entail basic programming skills that are designed based on the market demands. The latter entail confidence-building, leadership, personal initiative, communication and presentation skills, and team work among others. The program also offers a professional development component through which students are trained in job-application practices, and a job bank where trainees are given the possibility to apply for different jobs connected to the bootcamp providers. After completion, participants are expected to be able to build basic web pages and understand programming fundamentals.
The peer component consists of matching two beneficiaries of the scholarship (based on observable characteristics) and encouraging them to form a work team. They are encouraged to work together over the course material, help each other prepare for job interviews. Beneficiaries know they are matched with another one the moment they receive the offer to participate in the bootcamp.
|
After
We do a cross-cut random assignment of: (i) a spot in the Bootcamp together with a scholarship to cover between 60 and 80% of the cost of a ready-to-work computer programming Bootcamp, and (ii) access to a female peer (in the form of an encouragement to form a work team with another female classmate).
The Bootcamp is a 170-hour (four-month) course that requires 10.5 hours a week, and it provides training on both computational and soft skills. Computational training is mandatory, and it teaches basic programming skills that are designed based on the market demands. The soft skill module is optional, and it entails confidence-building, leadership, personal initiative, communication and presentation skills, and team work among others. The program also offers a professional development component through which students are trained in job-application practices, and a job bank where trainees are given the possibility to apply for different jobs connected to the Bootcamp providers. After completion, participants are expected to be able to build complex web pages and understand programming fundamentals.
The peer component consists of matching two beneficiaries of the scholarship (based on observable characteristics) and encouraging them to form a work team. They are encouraged to work together over the course material, help each other prepare for job interviews. Beneficiaries know they are matched with another one the moment they receive the offer to participate in the Bootcamp.
|
|
Field
Primary Outcomes (End Points)
|
Before
Employment outcomes (employment, wages, occupation, amenities of the firm); educational outcomes (enrollment in other courses, enrollment in superior education).
|
After
Employment outcomes (employment, employment in tech, wages, occupation, quality of the job, amenities of the firm); educational outcomes (programming skills, enrollment in other coding courses, enrollment in STEM and computer science superior education).
|
|
Field
Primary Outcomes (Explanation)
|
Before
|
After
Programming skills will be measured in the short term with an exam that resembles coding questions that a candidate may get in a job interview for an entry-level job in the tech sector.
|
|
Field
Experimental Design (Public)
|
Before
To analyze the differential causal effect of skill acquisition vis-à-vis access to the peer, the RCT consists of the following arms:
Arm I - Individual Offer: scholarships are allocated individually to women.
Arm II - Paired Offer: in addition to receiving the scholarship, women are paired with another beneficiary under the basis of similar backgrounds, and they are encouraged to work together on coursework material, homework, and job interview preparations, among other activities. Beneficiaries know they are matched with another one the moment they receive the offer to participate in the bootcamp.
Arm III – Control group: does not receive neither the offer of the scholarship nor the access to the network.
|
After
To analyze the differential causal effect of skill acquisition vis-à-vis access to the peer, the RCT consists of the following arms:
Arm 1: Spot in the course with a scholarship to cover most of the cost of the tuition.
Arm 1.1 - Individual Offer: the offer is allocated individually to women.
Arm 1.2 - Paired Offer: in addition to receiving the offer, women are paired with another beneficiary on the basis of similar backgrounds (education), and they are encouraged to work together on coursework material, homework, and job interview preparations, among other activities. Beneficiaries know they are matched with another one the moment they receive the offer to participate in the Bootcamp.
Arm 2 – Control group: receives neither the offer of the spot and scholarship nor the access to the peer.
|
|
Field
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
|
Before
Arm I: 211
Arm II: 191
Arm III (Control): 401
|
After
Arm 1 (Treatment): 402
Arm 1.1: 210
Arm 1.2: 192
Arm 2 (Control): 401
|
|
Field
Keyword(s)
|
Before
Education, Gender, Labor
|
After
Education, Gender, Labor
|
|
Field
Building on Existing Work
|
Before
|
After
No
|