University of Bamberg
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Faculty of Social Sciences, Economics, and Business Administration

Labour Studies

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  9. Lea Ahrens

Lea Ahrens, M.Sc.

Research/Project Assistant and
Ph.D. candidate

Chair of Labour Studies
Feldkirchenstra?e 21
96052 Bamberg

Phone: +49 951 863 2694
Email: lea.ahrens(at)uni-bamberg.de
Room: F21/01.26c

Consultation hours: By appointment

Lea Ahrens, M.Sc.

Curriculum Vitae

since 08/2023Research/Project Assistant and Ph.D. candidate, Chair of Labour Studies, University of Bamberg
11/2018 - 07/2023Research Assistant, Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi)
03/2016 - 09/2018Student Assistant, Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi) and Otto-Friedrich-University of Bamberg
10/2016 - 04/2019Master of Science in Empirical Educational Research, Otto-Friedrich-University of Bamberg
10/2012 - 09/2016Bachelor of Science in Psychology, FernUniversit?t in Hagen

Main Research Interests

Educational research, labor market sociology, quantitative social research

Teaching

Sociology of Profession (Bachelor Sociology, in German)

Applied Technology (Teacher Education, Labour Studies, in German)

Introduction and principles of technologies (Teacher Education, Labour Studies, in German)

Cooperation partners and extracurricular learning facilities of work science (Teacher Education, Labour Studies, in German)

More Information at UniVis

Dissertation

Germany’s market-based dual training system results in regional variations in the availability and composition of apprenticeships available. Although vocational interests are important for young people’s career choices (Holland, 1967), the regional supply may not always align with these interests. My dissertation explores how regional training markets impact interest-driven occupational choices. The following research questions are to be answered:

1. Mapping the Market: Which vocational interests are represented in regional apprenticeship offerings?

2. Market Influence: How does the regional occupational structure influence the development, implementation, and stability of interest-based career choices?

3. Structure of Inequality: Do regional supply force gender-typed or education-dependent compromises?

Publications

Fischer-Browne, M., Ahrens, L., Kleinert, C., & Schels, B. (2024). Compromises in occupational choice and premature termination of vocational education and training: Gender type, prestige, and occupational interests in focus. Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training, 16, Article 14.

Schels, B., Kleinert, C., Fischer-Browne, M. & Ahrens, L. (2022). Compromises between Occupational Aspirations and VET Occupations—a Contribution to the Reproduction of Social Inequalities?. Zeitschrift für Soziologie, 51(2), 154-173. https://doi.org/10.1515/zfsoz-2022-0011

Ahrens, L., Kleinert, C., Fischer, M., & Schels, B. (2021): When dreams do not become reality. The occupational compromises young people accept in the transition to vocational training, IAB-Forum, 15. Oktober 2021

Ahrens, L., Fischer, M., Kleinert, C., & Schels, B. (2021). Compromises in occupational choice and stability of vocational education and training. In C. N?gele, B.E. Stalder, & M. Weich (Hrsg.), Pathways in Vocational Education and Training and Lifelong Learning. Proceedings of the 4th Crossing Boundaries Conference in Vocational Education and Training (S. 24–31). European Research Network on Vocational Education and Training, VETNET, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland and Bern University of Teacher Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4603059

Gaede, L. (2017) P?dagogik für Nachhilfe und Lernunterstützung. Fernstudienzentrum Hamburg

Lectures

ISA Forum of Sociology, Rabat. Dual Vocational Training and Flexibility: The role of Training Content in Explaining Horizontal Mobility, July 2025

Joint Conference of TREE and SHP, Lausanne. Regional Variations in the Match Between Vocational Interests and Training Opportunities: Insights from the German Vocational Education System. June 2025

Annual Workshop of the European Research Network on Transitions in Youth, Edinburgh. The impact of regional occupational structure on the match between career aspirations and occupational interests of dual VET candidates. September 2023