Traineeships

In these times traineeships are very popular as entry-job positions. But what exactly is a traineeship and how can you benefit from it?

What is a traineeship?

A traineeship is a kind of on-the-job education that companies offer to train their junior employees. Unlike university study or apprenticeships, each company establishes its own criteria and schedule for the traineeship programme. In this way, the programme is tailored to the needs of the organization and influences corporate knowledge. This also implies that traineeships can vary widely from company to company. Some are devoted to a specific business field, whereas others aim for a general education. Whether specific or general, both approaches are designed to train future executives.

What’s your benefit?

What are your benefits when doing a traineeship instead of a ‘normal’ entry job? First, you will get an in-depth insight into the company within a short time period, usually 12 to 24 months. After finishing the traineeship you should be well prepared to take on a managerial position. Of course, traineeships are entry-level positions. Nevertheless, these programmes are designated to prepare you for a leadership position at the company where you complete your training. To put it another way, starting as a trainee often means being hired as a full-time employee after the training is over, as companies want their investments—financial investments as well as investments in corporate knowledge—to pay off.

Who can apply and where to apply?

Most applicants for traineeships are recent university graduates, since it is a great chance to enter a company. Moreover, after their theory-heavy studies, students have the chance to gain practical experience through a traineeship. Besides, you can see your traineeship as a kind of ‘honeymoon period’, in which you can orientate yourself and put your theoretical knowledge into practice. Blue-chip companies in particular are constantly searching for trainees to consolidate the business assets. But smaller companies also provide traineeships, albeit not as regularly as the big companies do. Just like other jobs, these positions are advertised on the well-known job portals. In addition, company websites are another source to search for vacant trainee positions.

Short and sweet

A traineeship gives you the opportunity to develop personally as well as functionally within a specific time frame, and to considerably increase your knowledge. Besides, employment prospects tend to be fairly good for those completing a traineeship.