The incidence and intensity of employer-provided training

This paper examines the provision of training by employers and the participation in training by employees, conditional on employers´ training provision. Together these two dimensions of training determine its overall distribution in the workforce. The factors which affect employer training provision and employee training participation are considered simultaneously within an empirical model using data drawn primarily from the 2001 Employers Skill Survey. The results are consistent with high fixed costs but constant marginal costs of training provision, while also supporting many of the predictions regarding the relationship between training and workforce skills, skill-shortages, workplace and local labour market characteristics.