Are self-employment training programs effective? Evidence from Project GATE

In 2002, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Small Business Administration implemented Project GATE, an experimental demonstration program designed to provide free self-employment assistance to individuals interested in starting their own business. This paper uses data from Project GATE to examine the efficacy of public self-employment training programs in the modern U.S. economy. Our analyses show that GATE led to significant improvements in the post-training outcomes of treatment group participants who were unemployed at the time of application. Particularly, GATE had a significant positive impact on new business starts and sustainability for unemployed participants five years after random assignment. For those who were unemployed at random assignment, GATE also led to higher employment likelihood and higher total earnings five years after random assignment. GATE had no impact, however, for participants who were employed, self-employed, or out of the labor force at the time of application.self-employment; small business; unemployment; workforce development; SEA; Project GATE

Evaluating Active Labor Markets in Romania

We evaluate the presence of effects from joining one of four active labour market programs in Romania in the late 1990s compared to the no-program state.  Using rich follow-up survey data and propensity score matching, we find that three programs (training and retraining, self-employment assistance, and employment and relocation services) had success in improving participants' economic outcomes and were cost-beneficial from society's perspective. In contrast, public employment was found detrimental for the employment prospects of its participants.Active labour market programs, propensity score matching, transition economies, and net social benefits

Evaluating the impact of active labor programs : results of cross country studies in Europe and Central Asia

The objective of this cross country study was to determine if there was any significant difference those individuals who participated in active labor programs (ALP) and similar individuals who did not participate in the programs (the comparison group), with regard to agreed outcome measures of program success (e.g., employment, wage levels) in four countries: the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Turkey. The study evaluated five different ALPs across the four countries for several categories of program participants, grouped by demographic characteristics and geographic location. The active labor programs studies comprised: retraining, public works or temporary community employment, wage subsidy, self-employment initiatives, and general employment services. All five ALPs evaluated were found to have a significant positive net impact for some population subgroups, a general finding supported by the 1996 OECD review that concluded that there are ALPs that work for most groups of individuals. However, the study found the impact was not significant for some sub-groups, and for some ALPs the impact was negative. The final chapter summarizesthe general trends in findings on the various outcome measures across demographic and regional subgroups.Environmental Economics&Policies,Poverty Impact Evaluation,ICT Policy and Strategies,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Poverty Monitoring&Analysis

Are self-employment training programs effective? Evidence from Project GATE

This paper presents new evidence on the efficacy of self-employment training programs using data from Project GATE (Growing America Through Entrepreneurship). Project GATE was an experimental design demonstration program that offered free self-employment training to a random sample of individuals who expressed a strong interest in self-employment. Our analyses show that the program was very effective in assisting unemployed participants start their own business, leading to significant gains in self-employment and overall employment in the early months following program participation. These impacts, however, dissipated over time. Despite the program’s impact on the rapid reemployment of unemployed participants, the program did not lead to significant gains in total earnings. Moreover, our analyses provide no evidence that the program was effective for participants who were employed, self-employed, or not in the labor force at the time of application

Income Instability: an Empirical Analysis.

Ph.D.EconomicsUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/157316/1/7425147.pd

Evaluating active labor markets in Romania

We evaluate the presence of effects from joining one of four active labour market programs in Romania in the late 1990s compared to the no-program state. Using rich follow-up survey data and propensity score matching, we find that three programs (training and retraining, self-employment assistance, and employment and relocation services) had success in improving participants' economic outcomes and were cost-beneficial from society's perspective. In contrast, public employment was found detrimental for the employment prospects of its participants

Are self-employment training programs effective? Evidence from Project GATE

This paper presents new evidence on the efficacy of self-employment training programs using data from Project GATE (Growing America Through Entrepreneurship). Project GATE was an experimental design demonstration program that offered free self-employment training to a random sample of individuals who expressed a strong interest in self-employment. Our analyses show that the program was very effective in assisting unemployed participants start their own business, leading to significant gains in self-employment and overall employment in the early months following program participation. These impacts, however, dissipated over time. Despite the program’s impact on the rapid reemployment of unemployed participants, the program did not lead to significant gains in total earnings. Moreover, our analyses provide no evidence that the program was effective for participants who were employed, self-employed, or not in the labor force at the time of application.self-employment; small business; unemployment; workforce development; SEA; Project GATE