The impact of training on the frequency and duration of employment

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine whether training will increase the amount of time an individual spends in employment over an extended period. Training can influence this quantity through an effect on either the frequency or the duration of employment spells. Continuous time duration models provide a natural framework for modelling the influence of training on both the number and length of employment episodes. The estimation results obtained indicate that participation in a private training program improves the employment prospects of women by increasing both the frequency and duration of employment spells. The implications are less clear for men in that participation in private programs increases the length of both employment and nonemployment episodes. In the case of government programs participation in training leads to a decline in the amount of time spent employed by both women and men; however, this effect is based upon a small number of observations.