The Effect of CETA on the Postprogram Earnings of Participants

Abstract

This paper is a report of a study of efforts to use the Continuous Longitudinal Manpower Survey to estimate the effect that CETA has had on the posttraining earnings of participants. Particular attention is given to developing estimates that are free of selection bias-whether it results from nonrandom self-selection or selection by program administrators. The results indicate that CETA has had a positive and often significant effect on the earnings of participants, and that women benefit more from participation than do men. Among the various program activities that have been available under CETA, no one program is clearly more beneficial than the others.