How long does it take to become a Trainee?

It takes one year or less to become a trainee. That is the time it takes to learn specific trainee skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 4 to 6 years years to become a trainee.

Do manager trainees get paid?

Yes, manager trainees typically get paid. Manager trainees are usually pulled from the current pool of employees to be mentored and supervised by the manager or executives in a company. The goal is to acquire all the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to become a manager. You might find yourself interning in different departments to learn about all the other parts of the company and how they come together to function as one.

Do you get paid for being a trainee?

Yes, you get paid for being a trainee. As a trainee, you are considered an employee in training so you can get paid. However, that is contingent on the circumstances surrounding what you'll do within the workplace and whether there was a prior compensation agreement.

How does being a trainee work?

Being a trainee, you work as an employee in training. Because you are to familiarize yourself with your role's best practices and procedures, you'll typically shadow a more experienced employee, who usually has a similar role as yours, to understand various tasks.

How much does it cost to be a trainee?

The cost of being a trainee varies. However, it typically costs the employers more than the trainee. Employers face various factors when training new employees. According to Forbes, upfront costs like recruitment are just the beginning. Depending on how skilled the candidates are, the training period can be short or long, which drives up costs.

What is a trainee student?

A trainee student is someone who is receiving formal training with a company while still attending school. Usually referred to as student trainees, they can still attend high school or post-secondary education while gaining experience. Sometimes, you are placed in the trainee program recognized by your school.

How To Become A Trainee: What It Is and Career Path

What is a trainee and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A trainee is an individual who is learning and gaining practical experience in a particular profession or field. They work under the guidance of experienced professionals to develop their skills and knowledge. The goal of a trainee may be to acquire the necessary qualifications to enter a specific profession or to improve their skills for career advancement. Trainees typically receive on-the-job training, attend courses or workshops, and may be required to complete assignments or projects.

ScoreTraineeUS Average

Salary

3.1

Avg. Salary $39,185

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

5.7

Growth Rate 5%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 13.78%

Black or African American 7.91%

Hispanic or Latino 11.63%

Unknown 5.00%

White 61.36%

Gender

female 43.63%

male 56.37%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress Level

5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.7

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.1

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Trainee?

Pros

Potential for future job opportunities within the company
Develop new skills and knowledge
Receive mentorship and guidance from supervisors
Opportunity to work on real projects and tasks
Gain a better understanding of the industry

Cons

Low pay or no pay at all
May be given menial or repetitive tasks
May not receive benefits such as health insurance or paid time off
Lack of job security as trainee positions are typically temporary
May not be given enough training or support from supervisors

Key steps to become a trainee

Explore trainee education requirements

Most common trainee degrees

Bachelor's

55.9 %

Master's

13.4 %

High School Diploma

13.0 %

Start to develop specific trainee skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	22.17%
CDL	9.47%
Training Programs	8.58%
Work Ethic	6.80%
Basic Math	5.82%

Complete relevant trainee training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New trainees learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a trainee based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real trainee resumes.

Gain additional trainee certifications

Trainee certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific trainee certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for trainees include OSHA Safety Certificate and EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA).

More About Certifications

Research trainee duties and responsibilities

Establish and manage Microsoft SharePoint services to servers to achieve higher productivity for each project.
Design scripts to automate the build of developer, QA, and production servers.
Accomplish the experiments on PCB layout, core circuit board of hardware via PCB manufacturing.
Maintain BOM (bill of materials) and manage the team in maintaining coordination between the customer requirements.

Prepare your trainee resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your trainee resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a trainee resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Trainee Resume templates

Build a professional Trainee resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Trainee resume.