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We study contemporaneous and post-program impacts of a public works program, which
provides urban youth seven months of employment at the formal minimum wage with complementary
training on entrepreneurship or job search. During the program, we find limited
impacts on employment, but a shift toward wage jobs, higher earnings and savings, as well
as positive changes in work habits, behaviors, and well-being. After the program, we find no
lasting impact on employment or behaviors, with only limited gains in earnings stemming
from independent activities. Using machine learning to analyze heterogeneity, we show that
alternative targeting approaches can substantially improve welfare.
