The effect of a five-day intervention on STEM enrolment in vocational education and training: Evidence from the Netherlands

While many job opportunities are available for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates, STEM programmes offered in vocational education suffer from low student enrolment. This study examines the effectiveness of a five-day programme conducted in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area in 2014-15. The intervention aimed at encouraging students from preparatory vocational education to choose for STEM education in uppersecondary vocational education and training. The difference-in-differences analysis indicates that the intervention did not affect native Dutch male students’ likelihood to enrol into STEM. For male students with a migrant background, the intervention increased the probability of STEM-enrolment with 0.6%-points.