Are Older Workers Willing to Learn?

Research output: Working paper/Preprint › Working paper/Discussion paper

Authors

  • J. Ruhose
  • S.L. Thomsen
  • I. Weilage

Research Organisations

External Research Organisations

  • Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
  • Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW)
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Details

Original languageEnglish
Number of pages55
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Publication series

NameCESifo Working Papers
PublisherMunich Society for the Promotion of Economic Research - CESifo GmbH
No.8399
ISSN (Print)2364-1428

Abstract

Adult education can mitigate the productivity decline in aging societies if older workers are willing to learn. We examine a generous partial retirement reform in Germany that led to a massive increase in early retirement. Using county-level administrative data on voluntary education activities, we employ a difference-in-differences approach for identification. The estimates show a strong increase in participation in adult education, specifically in cognitively demanding courses, for early retirees who would have continued working in the absence of the reform. This supports the notion of an intrinsic willingness of older individuals to acquire skills and abilities independent of financial incentives.

Cite this

Are Older Workers Willing to Learn? / Ruhose, J.; Thomsen, S.L.; Weilage, I.
2020. (CESifo Working Papers; No. 8399).

Research output: Working paper/Preprint › Working paper/Discussion paper

Ruhose, J, Thomsen, SL & Weilage, I 2020 'Are Older Workers Willing to Learn?' CESifo Working Papers, no. 8399. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3644813
Ruhose, J., Thomsen, S. L., & Weilage, I. (2020). Are Older Workers Willing to Learn? (CESifo Working Papers; No. 8399). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3644813
Ruhose J, Thomsen SL, Weilage I. Are Older Workers Willing to Learn? 2020. (CESifo Working Papers; 8399). Epub 2020 Jul 7. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.3644813
Ruhose, J. ; Thomsen, S.L. ; Weilage, I. / Are Older Workers Willing to Learn?. 2020. (CESifo Working Papers; 8399).
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