Technological Change and Returns to Training

Abstract

Do returns to training differ if training is accompanied by technological innovations at the workplace? We analyze this potential heterogeneity of returns based on panel data from Germany that provide a unique measure for individuals’ adoption of new technology at the workplace. In the preferred analysis we run fixed effects stimations. As a robustness test we also allow for individual time trends. The findings indicate positive wage effects and more job stability for training participants in general but no effects on wages and job mobility for new technology adoption. Furthermore, the combined occurrence of new technology adoption and of training participation does not make individuals better off in terms of wages or job stability compared with individuals experiencing neither training nor new technology adoption.