Evaluating the Effectiveness of Government-Sponsored Training Initiatives in Korea: A Central vs. Regional Approach

This study employs administrative data from 227,399 individuals and utilizes generalized propensity score matching to compare four government-sponsored job training programs in Korea. The results indicate substantial heterogeneity across programs rather than a uniform advantage of central or regional administration. The General Program, Regional Innovation Project, and National Infrastructure & Strategic Industry Job Training typically outperform the Vocational Skills Development Account System in employment, whereas the Regional Innovation Project demonstrates relatively favorable long-term retention in various comparisons. Robustness checks broadly corroborate these trends, although certain estimates vary based on the matching method and sample period. The findings highlight the significance of program-specific design and delivery for enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of publicly funded vocational training systems.