The changes in working life and companies’ growing flexibility requirements lead to more and more flexible and non-traditional working conditions. In fact, there are a lot of people finding themselves in part-time work, agency work or fixed-term contracts. The proportion of people having an unlimited full-time employment has decreased significantly from 65.2% in 1968 to 51.5% in 2002.

In recent years especially the number of fixed-term contracts has increased. By 2004 this figure had already climbed to 2.2 million (8.1%) fixed-term employees out of a total of 31.4 million employees, and 2008: nearly 10 % (without apprentices; Federal Statistical Office).

There are different reasons for companies to contract staff with fixed-term contracts. For example, when they need employees for a project with limited time or to have a substitute for someone being absent for a certain period. As a consequence, companies can use their workforce more flexible. But there is little known about the consequences for the employees. This project of the german Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) aims to do research on the question of what people with fixed-term contracts think and how they evaluate their current working conditions. In addition, we seek to find out the employees‘ development of occupational competences.  As there isn’t a consensus reached yet on the definition of occupational competencies, we used the following working definition: Competencies are individual capabilities like (cognitive or practical) skills and specific knowledge which are required for carrying out tasks and solving problems. Addionally, they are influeced by motivational processes.

Although in recent years several studies have been carried out on the aquisition of competencies in general and in specific professions, there is a lack of studies comparing the differences in the development of competencies between employees with a traditional unlimited working contract and employees with fixed-term contracts. In our study we want to examine the following questions: What are the consequences of fixed-term contracts concerning people’s development of competencies? Do they have the opportunities to take part in continuing vocational education and training (CVET) in their companies? Are there differences regarding job satisfactory? As a result of being forced to change companies more often and to do different jobs, can employees with fixed-term contracts use this situation to gain skills and competences or do they loose their competencies over time? How do they evaluate their job situations? What about career opportunities for this employees? What is the impact of flexible working contracts for private life, for instance to start a family and have children?

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