In Search of Gender Differences in Access to Continuing Training: Is There a Gender Gap and If Yes, Why?

Gender differences in access to continuing training are often argued to be a central
cause of persisting gender inequalities in occupational attainment. Yet, existing
empirical work has presented rather mixed evidence regarding a potential
gender gap. With the aim to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms
underlying training participation, this paper carries out an empirical test of the
central theoretical models commonly used to explain the (alleged) gender gap.
Using data from the European Social Survey, we find that working men are
more likely to train than working women, controlling for worker and job characteristics.
Moreover, common theoretical approaches to understanding gendered
training behaviour show some explanatory power for male workers,
while they largely fail to predict women’s training incidence.