WITHDRAWN: Gender Difference in Performance of Vocational Training for Elderly Workers: Evidence from the Senior Employment Support Program between 2010, 2013, 2016

Background/Purpose: This study analyzed the gender difference in vocational training program performance among participants of the Senior Employment Support Program in South Korea. As of 2018, the proportion of elderly people aged 65 or older in South Korea is 14.4%, and in 2025, South Korea is expected to reach super-aged society with the ratio of aged population exceeding 20%. In 2004, the Korean government launched the senior employment support program which provides job opportunities for elderly who want to work. In 2016, 320,000 jobs were provided through the program. In order to increase employment sustainability, the elderly job training program has been operated for the program participants. Studies on the performance of elderly education and training programs have been carried out in Western countries, but studies on the elderly vocational training program performance in South Korea are rare. Considering the gender differences in employment and vocational training, and that the majority of participants of the program are women, it is necessary to analyze the performance of the elderly vocational training program from the perspective of gender. Therefore, this study empirically confirms the gender difference in the determinants of performance of the elderly vocational training program in South Korea.

Methods: This study used the 2010, 2013, and 2016 data from the survey on the Senior Employment Support Program in South Korea, which was produced by the Korea Workforce Development Institute for Elderly. The subjects of this study were 1,500 seniors who participated in the job program more than 2 times. This study investigated the outcomes of the vocational training program and its determinants. Dependent variables are measured by the output of the program (participation, participation time) and the effect of participation in vocational training (program satisfaction, self-development change, working hours, income level). The independent variables are age, education level, program type, and education type. Panel analysis and PSM (Propensity Score Matching) analysis were applied to handle the selection bias and endogeneity of participants in the vocational training program.

Results: The results are as follows. First, female elderly displayed a higher participation rate and time in the elderly vocational training program than males. However, the subjective performance of self-development change and satisfaction was lower for women than for men. In particular, the elderly women with higher education level showed lower satisfaction and self-development change level. Second, gender differences were identified in the employment effects of participation in vocational training programs but were unclear. Both men and women showed a statistically significant impact on participation in time/participation in vocational training programs (P<.05) and on the improvement of working hours and income levels at a limited level (P<.10).

Conclusions and Implications: The results of this study show that the performance of the vocational training program is lower for the female elderly. This tendency was more evident in elderly women with higher education. In preparing the elderly vocational training program, elderly women’s vocational training needs and education level should be reflected.