What is a Management Trainee Internship?

Completing a management trainee internship is often a necessary step to becoming a full-fledged manager. Under this type of program, you will work alongside managers and learn the skills that you need to have to become one.

On a typical day, a management trainee intern will observe how a certain department works to understand its manner of operations. They provide support to managers by performing various administrative or clerical tasks, which may include data entry, creating reports, managing employee schedules, coordinating logistics, and evaluating existing employees. To increase their management knowledge, management trainee interns also attend meetings, interview staff members, and read company policies and documents.

Before becoming a management trainee intern, you must complete a bachelor's degree in business, HR, management, or another similar field. Prior experience in a management role is ideal but not always required. Moreover, a management trainee intern must display strong skills in communication, leadership, problem-solving, and forming interpersonal relationships to qualify for an internship program.

As a management trainee intern, you can earn an average of $26,000 a year, which is about $13 an hour. After completing the internship, you can apply for management roles that are higher-paying, perhaps even in the same company wherein you've completed your internship.