News Archive

16.10.2024

Class rank and career choice

In a new study, Enzo Brox, Maddalena Davoli, and Maurizio Strazzeri examine the influence of students' class rank in mathematics on educational, occupational, and labor market outcomes. They show that class rank in mathematics, in addition to mathematical ability, has a positive effect on the probability of pursuing a career in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). They also show that a higher class rank in mathematics increases income and willingness to invest in job-related continuing education.

01.10.2024

Are more competitive peers the path to better-paid jobs?

In a new study, Stefan Wolter, Claudio Schilter, and Samuel Lüthi examined the influence of the average competitiveness of peers in lower secondary school on career choices. They found that those who had more competitive peers at that time ended up in better-paid jobs years later.

10.06.2024

Do parents advise their children on career choices in a gender-neutral way?

In their latest study, Stefan Wolter and Thea Zöllner found that parents give their children gender-neutral career advice, but only to their daughters, not their sons. Interestingly, adults with a university education prefer male-dominated professions for both daughters and sons, while people with vocational training make gender-neutral decisions for daughters but tend to favor male-dominated professions for sons.

07.11.2023

Is it always an advantage to be competitive?

Competitiveness is increasingly being discussed as a trait that can be linked to various labor market outcomes, such as career choice or remuneration. In a recent study, Samuel Lüthi and Stefan Wolter found that not only does the tendency to be competitive vary between the sexes, but that competitive behavior in men and women is also associated with premature contract termination to varying degrees.

09.10.2023

Swiss education landscape, expenditure growth, and teacher shortage

In a video interview, Stefan Wolter is a guest at the Institute for Swiss Economic Policy. Among other things, the discussion focuses on the dual education system, which is of central importance for social mobility in Switzerland, the globally unique education system that offers everyone flexible and advancement-oriented training, and the shortage of teachers in Switzerland.

03.10.2023

The development of vocational education and training in Switzerland

Stefan Wolter is a guest on the podcast “Inside Berufsbildung” (Inside Vocational Training) and talks about the development of vocational training in Switzerland and findings from the 2023 education report.