Turkiye - Vocational Training Program for the Unemployed Impact Evaluation 2010-2012

The Turkish National Employment Agency (ISKUR) provides services for individuals who register as unemployed through 109 offices in 81 provinces. The impact evaluation study was designed by researchers from the World Bank to evaluate the impact of the ISKUR vocational training programs. These programs average 336 hours over three months are available for a wide range of subjects, and are offered by both private and public providers. These training services were provided to over 250,000 registered unemployed in 2011. The Turkey Vocational Training Program for the Unemployed Impact Evaluation 2010-2012 was the first randomized experiment of a large-scale vocational training program for the general unemployed population (not just for disadvantaged youth) in a developing country. The program was able to trace longer-term impacts up to three years post-training, by complementing a follow-up survey with administrative data from the social security agency. A sample of 5,902 applicants was randomly allocated to treatment and control groups within 130 separate courses. Excess demand among the unemployed for many of the courses offered by ISKUR provided the possibility for an over-subscription design. The evaluation was carried out in collaboration with ISKUR and under the guidance of the Ministry of Labor.The baseline survey took place between 13 September, 2010, and 31 January, 2011. The follow-up survey was implemented approximately one year after the end of training, between December 27, 2011, and March 5, 2012. It collected data on employment outcomes, as well as individual and household well-being.