Research & Projects

This study examines how to improve selection methods for Indonesia’s Kartu Prakerja program to maximize labor market outcomes. Using the cross-sectional Indonesia Labor Force Survey (Sakernas), I model application decisions, selection criteria, and effects of the program on employment and income. The dataset includes detailed information on whether individuals know about, applied to, and were accepted into the program. To extend the analysis, I incorporate the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) to simulate lifetime income as their main application decision, treating stigma as a cost of participation. The primary contribution will be a counterfactual analysis of alternative selection methods that can be applied to general job training programs, particularly in developing countries, with the goal of maximizing labor market outcomes for both the overall population and key subgroups.

with Steven Stern