In this paper we investigate when the male-female wage differential arises: Does it evolve
over the early career or does it exist right from entry into first employment onwards? For the
analysis we use new administrative longitudinal data and focus on the early careers of skilled
workers in Germany. We adopt a simple human capital theory approach. Advantages of the
data for this type of analysis are that we observe complete work and wage histories, and that
we observe workers' skills. Regarding entry wages we find a gap of approximately 25
percent. For the early career, i.e. up to eight years of work experience, the differential stays
almost constant at this high level. We find that differences in the apprenticeship training
occupation explain the main part of this gap and seem to lead to a permanent wage
disadvantage throughout the early career.