Centre for Development Economics
Department of Economics
Delhi School of Economics
ANNOUNCE A SEMINAR
Smart Skilling: Experimental Evidence on Vocational Training Design
by
Farzana Afridi
(Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi)
(Thursday, August 28, 2025, at 3:00 PM, IST )
Venue: Amex Room
Abstract:-
We study the design of vocational skill training programs in improving women’s work opportunities. Women applicants to skill training centers in India are randomized into either a vocational training (VT) program that combines sector-specific hard skills with on-the-job training, or VT plus Project-Based Experiential Learning that incorporates digital skills (VTP), or a control group which is not enrolled into any skill training. Almost a year after the start of the intervention, the nature of employment shifts towards the women’s preferred sector, leading to higher self-employed work and earnings therein. These positive effects are observed only for the VTP group, whose usage of social media for business purposes increases due to the intervention. At the same time satisfaction levels of women assigned to VTP training rises on multiple dimensions. Our findings highlight that the what and how of skilling programs can be a key driver of the impact of vocational training..