An analysis of the socially differentiated associations between digital skills and starting an apprenticeship in Germany

Abstract

Earlier research documented that youth from lower SES have lower level of digital skills compared to those from high SES. However, we still lack evidence regarding the benefits of digital skills for the transition to apprenticeship for youth with different social backgrounds. We fill this gap in the literature by exploring the relationship between digital skills and the transition to apprenticeships, as well as whether this relationship varies by social background in Germany. To do so, we use the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) and multinomial regression models for a sample of 5,768 non-academic lower secondary school leavers in Germany. The findings demonstrate that digital skills are not significantly related to the likelihood of obtaining an apprenticeship. However, the association between digital skills and the transition to apprenticeship varies by parents’ educational background. Digital skills increase the likelihood of obtaining an apprenticeship and reduce the likelihood of not entering any training, particularly among youth with less-educated parents compared to those with highly educated parents. We conclude that digital skills benefit youth from disadvantaged social background by compensating for their parents’ lack of socio-economic resource during their transition to post-secondary education in Germany.