Paula Protsch
Research focuses
Social Inequalities, Education, Labor Markets, VET, School-to-Work Transitions
Curriculum vitae
- Since 2022 Assistant Professor in Sociology, Empirical Methods in Vocational Education and Training, WiSo-Faculty, University of Cologne and Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB). in Bonn (Jülicher Modell)
- 2021-2022 Substitute Professor “Quantitative Methods in Empirical Social Research and Social Stratification Analysis”, Europa-Universität Flensburg
- 2013-2021 Senior Research Fellow, WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Lecturer at Freie Universität Berlin
- 2012 Dr. phil. in Sociology, Freie Universität Berlin
- Pre-doctoral Research Fellow, WZB Berlin Social Science Center
Selected publications
- Wehner, C., Protsch, P., de Grip, A. (2026): Gender differences in employers’ promotion preferences? The role of working time, care obligations, and work–family policies, Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 104.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rssm.2026.101154 - Friedrich, A., Protsch, P. and Rohrbach-Schmidt, D. (2026): Wer schafft den Übergang in Ausbildungsberufe mit höherem kognitiven Anforderungsniveau? Soziale Welt, 76(4), 416-441.
https://doi.org/10.5771/0038-6073-2025-4-415 - Wicht, A., Protsch, P., Menze, L. & Weßling, K. (2026): Spatial Mobility and Occupational Status Attainment in the Transition from School to Work in Germany. Advances in Life Course Research, 67.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2026.100728 - Kelley, K., Hipp, L. and Protsch, P. (2024): Organizational commitments to equality change how people view women’s and men’s professional success. Scientific Reports, 14, 7609
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56829-1 - Flohr, M. and Protsch, P. (2023): Young people’s job-search strategies in the German apprenticeship market: Who relies on referrals by strong ties and why? Acta Sociologica, 66(2), 191-209.
https://doi.org/10.1177/00016993221115544 - Protsch, P. (2021): Employers’ recruitment contexts and hiring preferences in the German youth labor market. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 73.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rssm.2021.100608 - Flohr, M., Menze, L. and Protsch, P. (2020): Berufliche Aspirationen im Kontext regionaler Berufsstrukturen. Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, 72, 79–104.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11577-020-00665-4 - Borgna, C., Solga, H. and Protsch, P. (2019): Overeducation, Labor Market Dynamics, and Economic Downturn in Europe. European Sociological Review, 35, 116‐132.
https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcy046 - Protsch, P. (2017): Getting a foot in the door: How organisational characteristics shape recruitment decisions in the dual apprenticeship system. Journal of Education and Work, 30, 585-598.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080.2017.1292029 - Protsch, P. and Solga H. (2017): Going across Europe for an Apprenticeship. A factorial survey experiment on employers’ hiring preferences in Germany. Journal of European Social Policy, 27, 387-399.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0958928717719200 - Dumont, H., Protsch P., Jansen, M. and Becker, M. (2017): Fish swimming into the ocean: How tracking relates to students’ self‐beliefs and school disengagement at the end of schooling. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109, 855-870.
https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/edu0000175 - Protsch, P. and Solga, H. (2015): How Employers Use Signals of Cognitive and Noncognitive Skills at Labor Market Entry. Insights from Field Experiments. European Sociological Review, 31, 521–532.
https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcv056 - Protsch, P. (2014): Segmentierte Ausbildungsmärkte. Berufliche Chancen von Hauptschülerinnen und Hauptschülern im Wandel. Opladen: Budrich UniPress
https://doi.org/10.3224/86388050
Contact information
Dr. Paula Protsch
Phone: tba
Email: pprotsch(at)uni-koeln(dot)de
WWW: https://dss.uni-koeln.de
BIBB www.bibb.de/de/153626.php