Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. The Institute for Labour Market Policy Evaluation (IFAU) is a research institute under the Swedish Ministry of Employment, situated in Uppsala. IFAU's objective is to promote, support and carry out scientific evaluations. The assignment includes: the effects of labour market policies, studies of the functioning of the labour market, the labour market effects of educational policies and the labour market effects of social insurance policies. IFAU shall also disseminate its results so that they become accessible to different interested parties in Sweden and abroad. Terms of use: Documents inIFAU also provides funding for research projects within its areas of interest. The deadline for applications is October 1 each year. Since the researchers at IFAU are mainly economists, researchers from other disciplines are encouraged to apply for funding.IFAU is run by a Director-General. The institute has a scientific council, consisting of a chairman, the Director-General and five other members. Among other things, the scientific council proposes a decision for the allocation of research grants. A reference group including representatives for employer organizations and trade unions, as well as the ministries and authorities concerned is also connected to the institute. Papers published in the Working Paper Series should, according to the IFAU policy, have been discussed at seminars held at IFAU and at least one other academic forum, and have been read by one external and one internal referee. They need not, however, have undergone the standard scrutiny for publication in a scientific journal. The purpose of the Working Paper Series is to provide a factual basis for public policy and the public policy discussion. AbstractAccording to Cattell's (1987) Investment theory individual differences in acquisition of knowledge and skills are partly the result of investment of Fluid Intelligence (Gf) in learning situations demanding insights in complex relations. If this theory holds true Gf will be a factor of General Intelligence (g) because it is involved in all domains of learning. The purpose of the current study was to test the Investment theory, through investigating effects on the relation between Gf and g of differential learning opportunities for different subsets of a population. A second-order model was fitted with confirmatory factor analysis to a battery of 17 tests hypothesized to measure four broad cognitive abilities The model was estimated for three groups wi...

PurposeThis paper aims to assess the effect of vocational training on employability for immigrant groups.Design/methodology/approachCognitive test results were computed as factor scores on broad ability variables, and group means were calculated. The effects of cognitive factors and training on employment were investigated in a series of regression equations. The development of employment was estimated in a growth curve model.FindingsThere were considerable group differences in mean cognitive estimates. The influence of training on employment was beneficial for all groups. Training courses at different levels of complexity had different long term effects.Research limitations/implicationsA replication with information on grades or other training outcome measures should be useful. Replication studies with other groups should be conducted, such as replication with a more balanced proportion of male and female participants.Practical implicationsImmigrant groups benefit from vocational training despite entering with lower skills. Different long term influence on employment rates could influence choice of course.Originality/valueThis paper contributes information on cognitive achievements and training outcomes for immigrants in working life, an area where much more knowledge is needed. It provides support for the praxis of granting vocational training to immigrants with language skills considerably below those of comparable native groups. It also shows that courses at different levels of complexity have different long‐term impact, which can be useful information in a cost‐benefit perspective.

Interpretation of Cognitive Test Scores in Relation to Swedish and Immigrant GroupsTest scores are used in employment offices in Sweden when making decisions to grant vocational education to immigrant and native applicants. The interpretation and use of scores in the decision making process is investigated. Mean scores of ability dimensions were found to differ between Swedish and immigrant groups. It is shown that the psychologists working with the assessments and the employment officers who grant the courses make allowances for the cultural bias in the verbal (Gc) ability dimension but underestimate the problem solving (Gf ) and speed (Gs) ability dimensions in assessing immigrants. However, assessments based on the visuo-spatial (Gv) ability dimension seem to be unaffected by immigrant group effect. The pattern of differential interpretations could result in inefficient test use and less than optimal test based decisions for immigrant groups.

No abstract