Is upgrading training worthwhile?

In Germany a regulated vocational upgrading training course is normally completed after initial vocational training in the dual system and several years of experience. Its purpose is to facilitate promotion to higher-grade positions. How successful are skilled workers with upgrading qualifications in the labour market, and what is the nature of this success? Are women just as successful as men? And what are the advantages of an upgrading qualification over a dual-system initial vocational qualification? The article explores these questions on the basis of the 2012 BIBB/BAuA Employment Survey with reference to objective and subjective indicators on career success.