| | Study of Modern Languages and Literature, Faculdade de Letras, University of Lisboa |
| 1981-1988 | Assistant of UGT-P International Department |
| 1984-1991 | Responsible for the International Affairs of UGT-P Youth Department |
| 1985-1988 | Member of ETUC Youth Steering Committee |
| 1985-1991 | Member of the local council of Paço de Arcos |
| 1988-1991 | Member of the Executive Committee of the Youth Forum of the European Community; Head of UGT-P International Department; President of ETUC Youth Steering Committee |
| 1990-1991 | Member of SITESE (Sindicato dos Trabalhadores de Escritório, Comércio, Serviços e Novas Tecnologias) General Council |
| 1992-1995 | ETUC Confederal Secretary in charge of Labour Market, Education and Vocational Training, Migration and Youth |
| 1995-1999 | ETUC Confederal Secretary in charge of Labour Market, Education and Vocational Training, Racism & Ethnical Minorities and European Structural Funds |
| 1999-2003 | Re-elected ETUC Confederal Secretary in charge of Labour Market, Education and Vocational Training, Regional Policy and European Structural Funds |
| 2003-2009 | Deputy General Secretary of the ETUC (in Prague May 2003, re-elected in Seville in 2007) |
| since 2009 | Minister of Labour and Social Solidarity of the Portuguese Republic |
| 1977-1979 | Mitarbeiter bei Prof. Dr. August Sahm an der TU München und MBB München |
| 1979-1982 | Referent Führungskräftetraining, Leiter Qualitative Personalplanung und Leiter Personalreferat Produktion |
| 1982-1986 | Personalwesen, Leiter Personalbeschaffung und Auslandsprojekte bei AUDI AG, Ingolstadt |
| 1986-1999 | Geschäftsführender Gesellschafter der Manage-ing Dr. Fröhlich und Partner Unternehmensberatung GmbH |
| 1994-1998 | Lehrstuhl für Betriebswirtschaftslehre an der Allgemeinen Universität Flensburg |
| 1998-1999 | Geschäftsführender Direktor des Internationalen Instituts für Management |
| 1972-1978 | Studium der Betriebswirtschaft, Marketing und Produktionstechnik, Universität Linz |
| 1978-1984 | Doktorat am Institut für Revisions-, Treuhand- und Rechnungswesen, Universität Linz |
| 1991-1996 | Abgeordneter zum Oberösterreichischen Landtag |
| 1996 | Abgeordneter zum Nationalrat |
| seit 1996 | Abgeordneter zum Europäischen Parlament |
| | Lehraufträge: Universität Klagenfurt, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Linz |
