More training opportunities for more agency workers: Overview report

Dr. Anneleen Peeters, IDEA Consult Eurociett/UNI Europa joint conference 4 December 2008

Aim of the study

 Conduct a comparative research work on the personal background, professional experience and motivations of the temporary agency workers and on training opportunities provided to them  Carry out an in-depth analysis of best practices in terms of training programmes targetted at temporary agency workers 2

Approach of the project

Step 1: Comparative research Step 2: Case studies Step 3: Pan-European conference Step 4: Dissemination and publications 3

Methodology



Written survey

:  Amongst Eurociett and Uni-Europa members  Content of the survey:  General framework of training programmes  Quantitative & qualitative info training programmes  Impact of training on professional life  Good practices training initiatives  Profile of agency workers  Situation and motivations to work as a TAW 

Desk research

: available studies on profile and training opportunities 

Selection of 6 case study countries

4

Methodology



Target group (21 countries) and respons (16 in bold/orange)

:

Austria Belgium Czech Republic

Denmark

Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy

Luxembourg

The Netherlands Norway Poland

Portugal

Spain Sweden

Switzerland Turkey

UK

5

Results of the survey

 3 topics: 1) General framework of training programmes provided to TAW 2) Characteristics of TAW and their jobs: determinants of training needs 3) Training provision for TAW 6

1) General framework of training programmes provided to TAW 1.1. Access to vocational training for TAW 1.2. Organisation of vocational training for TAW 1.3. Cooperation regarding training for TAW 1.4. Financing vocational training for TAW 7

1.1. Access to vocational training 

General access to vocational training for TAW:

 In all countries 

Specific training system for TAW:

 In 6 countries: FR, BE, NL, AU, ES, IT 

Specific (bipartiate) training body to facilitate access to training for TAW:

 In 6 countries: FR, BE, NL, AU, ES, IT 8

1.2. Organisation of training programmes 

How is the specific training provision for temporary agency workers regulated?

By law Yes No

FR, AU, ES BE, NL

By collective labour agreement Yes No

IT DE, CZ, FI, GR, HU, IE, NO, PO, SE, UK 9

1.3. Cooperation regarding training 

Cooperation between the temporary agency work sector and national public employment services regarding training for TAW:

In Austria, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Finland, Poland and the UK 

Cooperation between the temporary agency work sector and other sectors regarding training for TAW

: In Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary and the UK 10

1.4. Financing vocational training for TAW 

Most important channels (in decreasing order):

 By temporary work agencies  By user companies  By public employment services  By a training fund  By European funds  In some countries training programmes are also (indirectly) financed by TAW’s (e.g. through the social charges of their salary) 11

2) Characteristics of TAW and their jobs: determinants of training needs 2.1. Duration of an assignment 2.2. Sectoral distribution of temporary agency work 2.3. Educational level 2.4. Motivations of temporary agency workers 2.5. Previous situation of temporary agency workers 12

2.1. Duration of an assignment



Duration of a TAW assignment in number of days:

300 250 260 200 180 180 149 150 100 50 0 PO HU IR UK 125 123 115 DE 94 BE Mean FI 90 CZ 75 FR 45 IT 38 ES 23 NO 13

2.2. Sectoral distribution 

Sectoral distribution of temporary agency work:

80% 60% 40% 20% 0% PO BE IT FR CZ HU AU GR ES UK NL FI Manufacturing Services Construction Agriculture Public administration Other NO 14

2.3. Educational level



Initial educational level of temporary agency workers:

80% 60% 40% 20% 65% 20% 15% 55% 40% 5% 55% 52% 49% 43% 37% 24% 24% 28% 23% 20% 16% 25% 46% 11% 43% 50% 45% 5% 0% PO CZ FR NL UK BE GR NO % low-educated % medium-educated % high-educated 15

2.4. Motivations of TAW

 80%

% of temporary agency workers not looking for a permanent job:

69% 56% 60% 40% 20% 0% FI NL 32% UK 25% 22% 19% NO FR C Z 5% HU 16

2.5. Previous situation of TAW 

Large differences between countries in the previous situation of TAW



Before starting work as a temporary agency worker most workers where:



Unemployed

: in Germany (69%), Hungary (60%), Norway (50%), France (40%), Greece (40%) and Belgium (30%) 

Student

: in the Netherlands (44%), Finland (43%) and Poland (25%) 

Temporary agency worker

: in the Czech Republic (32%) and Poland (25%) 17

3) Training provision for TAW

3.1. Number of trainings provided to TAW 3.2. Duration of trainings provided to TAW 3.3. Type of trainings provided to TAW 3.4. Organisation of training provision 3.5. Main difficulties being faced when developing training programmes 18

3.1. Number of trainings provided to TAW FR Penetration rate of TAW Number of trained TAW’s (x 1.000) % of trained TAW’s 2,5% 270,0 12,3% Number of training hours 10.110

(x 1.000) Number of training hours per trained TAW Amount invested in training by temporary work agencies 331 (x 1.000.000 euro) Amount invested per trained TAW (euro) 1.225,9 Amount invested in training in % of total wages (payroll) 47,4 2,15% BE 2,2% 19,6 3,6% 303 15,4 4,7 239,7 0,40% NL 2,8% 138,7 19,0% 30 - 40 252,3 1,02% ES 0,8% 10,9 1,4% 760 69,8 4,8 440,4 1,25% IT 0,7% 204,2 35,6% 1.221

6,0 149 729,6 19

3.2. Duration of trainings



Distribution of trainings provided to TAW:

120% 100% 100% 98% 96% 80% 75% 60% 66% 60% 60% 64% 40% 20% 0% 33% AU 2% FI 4% PO 25% BE 0% FR 18% 16% NL 7% 20% 20% HU 11% Short duration of training (a few days) Long duration of training (a few months or longer) Medium duration of training (a few weeks) ES 25% 20

3.2. Duration of trainings



Relation between average number of training hours and % of trained TAW:

% of trained TAW Low Average number of training hours Low High ES BE FR NL High IT 21

3.3. Type of trainings



Main fields of training provided to TAW:

 Technical skills  Health and safety  ICT  Use of PC  Compulsory trainings (e.g. driving licences) 22

3.4. Organisation of training provision

  What is the employment status/contract of the TAW when being trained ?

Are TAW’s being paid or do they receive some benefits when they are on a training programme ?

 Who usually takes the initiative for the training?

 When is the training programme usually delivered to the TAW?  Where does the training usually take place?

23

3.4. Organisation of training provision



What is the employment status/contract of the TAW when being trained (number of countries)?

8 6 4 2 0 14 12 10 13 Empl.

contract as a TAW 9 Temp.

contract with agency 7 Perm.

contract with agency 4 Training contract 2 Specific empl.

contract 2 No contract 1 Other 24

3.4. Organisation of training provision



Are TAW being paid or do they receive some benefits when they are on a training programme (number of countries)?

2 1 0 8 7 6 5 4 3 7 4 4 1 Yes Yes, but only partially Yes, but only under certain conditions No 25

3.4. Organisation of training provision



Who usually takes the initiative for the training?

  Usually the temporary work agency The user firm is also an important actor 

When is the training programme usually delivered to the temporary agency workers?

  At a later stage during assignment Training programmes prior to the temporary agency work occur less frequently 

Where does the training usually take place?

 In the user firm or at a training institute  Trainings at the temporary work agency do also occur 26

3.5. Main difficulties when developing training programmes 1 0 5 4 3 2 7 6 

Number of countries facing difficulties when developing trainings:

6 6 Lack of financial means to implement the training project Too many candidates that drop out 6 Others 5 5 3 2 Problems to motivate candidates for the training programme Difficulty to find candidates for the training programme No resources available to organise the logistics of the training Difficulty to identify skills needed 27