Several Latin American countries have put in place vocational training and apprenticeship schemes focused on youths from poor households. The Dominican Republic, with the World Bank support, is one of the first to conduct a rigorous evaluation of these schemes’ impact.

Conducted in 2008, a randomized control trial assessed the effect of the scheme on the participants’ well-being and employment status. To this purpose, a baseline survey was implemented when the young people came to register. At that point, individuals were assigned randomly to one of three groups: one group receiving vocational and life skills training, another group receiving only life skills training, and a control group that did not participate in the training scheme at all. Follow-up surveys used the CATI mode (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing).

Sistemas Integrales used its data entry program LSD-2010 to design a CATI system and conduct three follow-up surveys after the training scheme ended.

Sistemas Integrales also assisted in testing the reliability and cost-effectiveness of four alternate survey modes using a subsample of the overall sample of youths: the original interviewer-administered paper interviews, plus self-administered paper interviews, CATI, and ACASI (Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing).