The apprenticeship market is the earliest possible entry point into the workforce in developed economies. Since early labor market shocks are likely magnified throughout professional life, avoiding mismatches between talent and occupations – for example due to gender- or status-based discrimination – appears crucial. This experimental study investigates the effects of applicant gender and its interaction with parental occupation on the probability of receiving an invitation to an interview in the Swiss apprenticeship labor market. We find no robust evidence of differential treatment by employers in most cases. Policies aimed at fostering gender equality across occupations should therefore focus on removing gender related educational or cultural barriers influencing occupational choices at young ages.

学徒市场是发达经济体最早进入劳动力市场的切入点。由于早期劳动力市场的冲击可能会在整个职业生涯中放大，因此避免人才与职业之间的不匹配（例如由于性别或基于地位的歧视）似乎至关重要。这项实验研究调查了申请人性别及其与父母职业的相互作用对瑞士学徒劳动力市场收到面试邀请的可能性的影响。在大多数情况下，我们没有发现雇主差别待遇的有力证据。因此，旨在促进各职业性别平等的政策应侧重于消除影响年轻时职业选择的与性别相关的教育或文化障碍。