An Evaluation of Modernised Vocational Profiles in Serbian Secondary Schools

Lebedinski, Lara (2022) An Evaluation of Modernised Vocational Profiles in Serbian Secondary Schools. In: Human Capital and Welfare. University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, pp. 52-71. ISBN 978-90-57287-25-1

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Abstract

This paper studies the labour market outcomes of graduates of three modernised vocational profiles in Serbian schools six months after finishing secondary school. As part of this process existing vocational profiles were modernised and a close cooperation with companies where pupils had their practical training was established. We employ a difference-in-difference methodology to estimate employment effects and self-reported quality of modernised educational profiles. Our dataset consists of 32 schools and 723 interviewed pupils. Our findings suggest a higher subjective quality of innovated profiles especially how pupils perceive their secondary education experience. With regards to employment, we do not find a higher employment rate for graduates of innovated profiles, but we find that the quality of their jobs is higher compared to the comparison pupils. While short-term impacts are encouraging, the literature emphasises that one should consider also the long-term perspective especially because vocational skills can depreciate at a faster rate than general skills.

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