Work-Study Programs Improve Young Women's Long-Term Labor Market Outcomes : Policy Brief

Overview & Synopsis

The transition from school to work significantly influences long-term labor market outcomes, yet many young people in Latin America and the Caribbean face persistent barriers to employment, with nearly one in five classified as NEET. Young women experience greater disadvantages, including lower employment rates and poorer job quality. While work-study programs can help build early labor market experience, evidence on their long-term impacts remains limited. Drawing on new experimental evidence from Uruguay’s national work-study program, this brief examines long-term employment outcomes and gender differences. The findings show that while short-term impacts were positive for both men and women, a gender gap in earnings emerges and widens over time, highlighting the importance of long-term evaluations when assessing youth employment interventions.