Temporary jobs – a useful trial period, or outsourcing risks? | Photo: Valérie Chételat

Young people are finding it increasingly difficult to get a foothold in the job market. That’s why it seems natural to take on fixed-term temporary jobs after finishing an apprenticeship. However, this is economically risky, as is shown by a sociological study that’s been carried out at the University of Basel.

Young professionals who start their working life in temporary jobs earn on average eight percent less than their peers who enter permanent positions straight after finishing their training. “However, it very much depends on the sector”, says the researcher Laura Helbling. In low-wage environments such as the hospitality industry or the basic service sector, wages can even be 14 percent less. But when people do a more demanding apprenticeship – such as in the commercial sector – the wage difference is almost negligible. Helbling offers one possible explanation for this: employers in the catering industry or agriculture might tend to outsource (seasonal) risks and employ more people in a temporary capacity. This can result in gaps in someone’s CV – which is a handicap for them when they go job-hunting or enter into wage negotiations. In sectors with more stringent requirements, however, temporary jobs can certainly serve to open up doors, says Helbling. “Here, employers may see temporary employment or internships as a trial period in advance of a permanent contract”.

This study involved 1,500 working persons aged 26, and was based on the longitudinal study TREE, ‘Transitions from Education to Employment’, which was launched in the year 2000 with the young people on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) who were at the end of their compulsory education.