Assessing the Value of Incomplete University Degrees: Experimental Evidence from HR Recruiters https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp17693&r=&r=lma
"… studying unsuccessfully for a degree directly related to a job can still yield positive returns in terms of #wages compared to activities not focused on formal #humanCapital accumulation, such as working and traveling. However, back of the envelope calculations show that these increases just cover the direct and opportunity costs of studying.
… HR recruiters view years of unsuccessful study without a direct link to a job as “lost” years, offering substantially lower wages to such applicants compared to people who have a university entrance diploma but have never studied.
… recruiters highly value alternative forms of human capital acquisition, and may largely prefer it to unsuccessful university studies. In the scenario we used, HR recruiters showed a strong preference for people without a degree who had completed a company-based #traineeship.
In sum, these results suggest that a failed degree is rarely a worthwhile investment—at least in the eyes of HR recruiters."
#LaborMarkets #apprenticeships #universityDegrees