Birgit Wagner studied Political Economy, participating in a program emphasising “International Economic Relations and Economic Problems in the Developing Countries” at the University of Marburg. From 1996 to 1997 she was employed at the Bavarian Research Association Public Health. Since 1997 she has been working at IWAK where she is engaged in the research fields of general further education and on-the-job-training, occupation of older workers as well as regional labour market development. Concerning these subjects she conducts surveys and applies quantitative and qualitative research methods. At the moment she is involved with the integration of older workers into employment.