Gabriele Wydra-Somaggio

Dr. Gabriele Wydra-Somaggio is a lecturer at the University of Koblenz-Landau and a research associate at the IAB (Institute for Employment Research) in the Regional Unit Rhineland-Palatinate-Saarland. She has held these positions since August 2009 and is also an active member of several working groups including the Digital and Ecological Transformation Working Group, Training Working Group, and Gender Studies Working Group.

Dr. Wydra-Somaggio's research focuses on labor market dynamics with particular attention to structural changes. Her work examines regional disparities in labor market phenomena, including:

• Labor market in structural change and labor market policy
• Workplace Education before and during working life
• Digital and ecological transformation of labor markets
• Labor force participation, poverty and social policy
• Consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on labor markets
• International and regional labor markets
• Migration and Integration

Her research consistently takes a regional perspective, analyzing how sectoral and occupational structures influence labor market outcomes across different German states. Notably, her work has examined regional differences in the gender pay gap, the impact of digitization across German federal states, and regional variations in vocational training outcomes in skilled trades.

Dr. Wydra-Somaggio's publications reveal a consistent focus on empirical labor market analysis with an emphasis on regional disparities. Her work often addresses policy-relevant questions about how structural changes in the economy affect different regions and demographic groups, particularly examining how occupational structures determine regional economic outcomes.

Dr. Wydra-Somaggio has contributed to several important research initiatives at the IAB, including:

• The gender pay gap from a regional perspective
• Digitalization and its regional impacts
• Skilled trades and regional employment patterns
• Vocational training and apprenticeship outcomes
• Ecological transformation of labor markets

As a lecturer at the University of Koblenz-Landau, Dr. Wydra-Somaggio contributes to higher education in economics, bringing her research expertise on labor markets to the classroom. Her dual role as researcher and educator allows her to connect theoretical economic concepts with real-world labor market dynamics.