The effects of youth labour market reforms: evidence from Italian apprenticeships

Abstract In this paper, we estimate the causal effects of the 2003 reforms to the Italian apprenticeship contract that increased its legal length, allowed on-the-job training and introduced a minimum floor to apprentices’ wages. Using administrative data, we implement a covariate balancing propensit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Oxford economic papers 2021-01, Vol.73 (1), p.98-121
Main Authors: Albanese, Andrea, Cappellari, Lorenzo, Leonardi, Marco
Format: Article
Language:eng
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Summary:Abstract In this paper, we estimate the causal effects of the 2003 reforms to the Italian apprenticeship contract that increased its legal length, allowed on-the-job training and introduced a minimum floor to apprentices’ wages. Using administrative data, we implement a covariate balancing propensity score and a difference-in-differences estimator. We find that the new contract improves the chances of an apprentice obtaining a permanent job in the same firm five years after hiring; however, this occurs more frequently in large firms. We also find sizeable, long-run wage effects that extend well beyond the legal duration of the apprenticeship contract. These effects are compatible with increased human capital accumulation, possibly due to the reformed training provisions.
ISSN:0030-7653
1464-3812