Expertise at work: New technologies, new skills, and worker impacts

Cäcilia Lipowski, Anna Salomons and Ulrich Zierahn-Weilage

No 24-044, ZEW Discussion Papers from ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research

Abstract: We study how new digital technology reshapes vocational training and skill acquisition and its impact on workers' careers. We construct a novel database of legally binding training curricula and changes therein, spanning the near universe of vocational training in Germany over five decades, and link curriculum updates to breakthrough technologies using Natural Language Processing techniques. Our findings reveal that technological advances drive training updates, with curriculum content evolving towards less routine intensive tasks, and greater use of digital and social skills. Using administrative employer-employee data, we show that educational updates help workers adapt to new demands for their expertise, and earn higher wages compared to workers with outdated skills. These findings highlight the role of changes in withinoccupational skill supply in meeting evolving labor market demands for non-college educated workers.

Keywords: Technological Change; Vocational Training; Skill Updating (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J23 J24 J31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eur, nep-hrm and nep-lma
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:zewdip:300271

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