Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 440-473 |
| Number of pages | 34 |
| Journal | Education Economics |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 30 Jun 2023 |
| Publication status | Published - 3 Jul 2024 |
Abstract
Adult education may keep older workers productive if they voluntarily engage in learning. Examining a generous partial retirement reform in Germany that encouraged early retirement among male workers, we estimate voluntary adult education activities for early retirees. Using county-level administrative data on all public adult education centers (Volkshochschulen; VHS), we employ a difference-in-differences approach exploiting the predetermined county-specific age structure of men for identification. The results show a strong increase in participation in adult education, specifically in cognitively demanding courses. This supports an intrinsic willingness of older workers to acquire skills and abilities independent of financial incentives.
Keywords
- adult education, early retirement, older workers, Partial retirement
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences(all)
- Education
- Economics, Econometrics and Finance(all)
- Economics and Econometrics
Cite this
- Standard
- Harvard
- Apa
- Vancouver
- BibTeX
- RIS
In: Education Economics, Vol. 32, No. 4, 03.07.2024, p. 440-473.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - No mental retirement
T2 - estimating voluntary adult education activities of older workers
AU - Ruhose, Jens
AU - Thomsen, Stephan L.
AU - Weilage, Insa
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2024/7/3
Y1 - 2024/7/3
N2 - Adult education may keep older workers productive if they voluntarily engage in learning. Examining a generous partial retirement reform in Germany that encouraged early retirement among male workers, we estimate voluntary adult education activities for early retirees. Using county-level administrative data on all public adult education centers (Volkshochschulen; VHS), we employ a difference-in-differences approach exploiting the predetermined county-specific age structure of men for identification. The results show a strong increase in participation in adult education, specifically in cognitively demanding courses. This supports an intrinsic willingness of older workers to acquire skills and abilities independent of financial incentives.
AB - Adult education may keep older workers productive if they voluntarily engage in learning. Examining a generous partial retirement reform in Germany that encouraged early retirement among male workers, we estimate voluntary adult education activities for early retirees. Using county-level administrative data on all public adult education centers (Volkshochschulen; VHS), we employ a difference-in-differences approach exploiting the predetermined county-specific age structure of men for identification. The results show a strong increase in participation in adult education, specifically in cognitively demanding courses. This supports an intrinsic willingness of older workers to acquire skills and abilities independent of financial incentives.
KW - adult education
KW - early retirement
KW - older workers
KW - Partial retirement
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85164156587&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09645292.2023.2229078
DO - 10.1080/09645292.2023.2229078
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85164156587
VL - 32
SP - 440
EP - 473
JO - Education Economics
JF - Education Economics
SN - 0964-5292
IS - 4
ER -