Perspektive Wiedereinstieg - Beruf & Familie gGmbH

Executive Summary
This report presents findings of the quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the pilot program
“Perspective of Women’s Re­entry into the Labor Market”, conducted by the Institute
for Employment Research (IAB). The pilot program aims at supporting the re­entry of women
into the labor market after a family­related absence from employment for at least three years.
Managed by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth in
cooperation with the German Federal Employment Office, the program was implemented
across Germany by 28 project executing agencies with partially different concepts. This report
refers to the first funding period of the program from March 2009 to February 2012.
The findings of the quantitative evaluation are based on altogether five panel surveys of two
cohort samples of women participating in the model program as well as a potential comparison
group of women who are clients of the Federal Employment Agency (non­participating women).
Despite a careful selection of similar non­participating women, both groups will probably consist
of women with different labor market aspirations. The program aims at women who are in need
of orientation services to re­enter the job market. Non­participating women have at least had
contact to a jobcenter. However, this does not necessarily imply that they are keen to re­enter
the labor market, and they might be in need of orientation services, too.
What characterizes women who face the decision to re-enter the labor market after a family
related break? Almost all of the interviewed women had completed a professional education or
have an academic degree. Participants are on average better qualified than potential comparison
persons. Furthermore, participants have a higher net household income; they are married
or live in a partnership more often and have been out of employment for longer – every other
participant had interrupted her career for more than 10 years. They are also involved in voluntary
work more often than non­participating women. About 80 percent of the interviewed
women – participating as well as non­participating women – worked fulltime before withdrawing
from the labor market. Almost all interviewees named child care as a reason for taking
the break. Nearly ten percent (also) named caring for persons in need of care. Important reasons
for re­entering the labor market are the desire for personal development and for making
use of one’s own skills; financial motives are less important for participating women than for
non­participants.
How did the re-entry process proceed? Participating women mostly learned about the program
“Perspective Re­entry“ from the media. But also information centres, work agencies as well as
references from other women who already re­entered the labor market play an important role.
Participating women mostly use the orientation­modules, often combined with other modules.
More than three quarters of participating women have been very satisfied or satisfied with
the encouragement – more than the women who were solely clients of the Federal Employment
Agency. The participants’ motivation for job­seeking was lower before the beginning of
funding, compared to the motivation of non­participating women before registration at the
German Federal Employment Office or jobcenter – it increased, however, more strongly over
time. Participating women (to a greater extent) as well as non­participating women are willing
to make concessions for a new job: 70 to 80 percent would take up a job for which they are
overqualified. But only ten percent would change their place of residence for a new job.