Laura Menze

Dr. Laura Menze is Head of the Research Data Centre at the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) since February 2021. She holds a PhD in Sociology from Freie Universität Berlin (2019) and a Diploma in Sociology from TU Dresden (2010). Her research focuses on vocational education systems, school-to-work transitions, labor market integration, and social inequality. She has served as Research Fellow in the College for Interdisciplinary Educational Research (CIDER) since 2019 and previously managed the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) vocational training module (2019–2021).

Key education milestones include:

• PhD, Freie Universität Berlin (2019): “From Apprenticeship Training to the Labor Market. The Role of Training Occupations”
• Diploma in Sociology, TU Dresden (2010): “Returns to Vocational Education in Germany in Transformation”

Her research explores how structural factors and individual agency shape outcomes for low-achieving school leavers, the role of vocational training in reducing inequality, and the impact of institutional labeling on NEET risks. She has published widely on regional labor market dynamics, policy interventions, and inclusive education.

Publications highlight themes like:

• Regional labor market disparities influencing occupational aspirations
• Long-term consequences of segregated education for special needs students
• Evaluation of pre-vocational training programs for disadvantaged youth

She collaborates on projects like the NEPS Stage 6 study and the N.O.R.D. initiative analyzing pre-vocational program effectiveness. Her work emphasizes data-driven policy solutions to enhance labor market integration and reduce educational inequalities.