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Choosing a traineeship? Check these 10 things

Written by Marjolein Jansen | 17-jun-2025 12:59:32

A traineeship is a great start to your career: you gain a lot of work experience in a short time and develop your talent at lightning speed. 🚀 But there are so many, how do you choose the right traineeship for you? With this checklist you can be sure to make the right choice.

 

Starting position or traineeship?

You have almost finished your studies and you are faced with a difficult choice. Are you going for an entry-level position or a traineeship? Before you choose, it is useful to know what the difference is between the two.

The main difference between an entry-level position and a traineeship is in the combination of working and learning. In an entry-level position, you quickly work independently and in a traineeship you get a lot of guidance and training - quite nice if you have just graduated. There are of course many more advantages of a traineeship, but in the picture on the right you can see where it mainly differs from an entry-level position.

Types of traineeships

Numerous organizations offer different traineeships. Before you choose one, it is good to clarify the following points for yourself.

 

 

7. Coaching

For your personal and professional development you will receive guidance from a coach during your traineeship. Here too you have all kinds of options. In some traineeships your team manager is also your coach. But often organisations do not have the capacity to coach you in this way with full focus. That is why many organizations use third parties for this, such as Solid Professionals. Our talent managers coach young professionals working for our clients. There are other names for 'talent manager': field manager, people manager or talent advisor. But their goal is the same: to be there for you during your traineeship.

8. The salary

Some traineeships pay better than others. The salary depends mainly on the level of education and the industry you are working in. The average monthly salary of a traineeship is €2539,- based on a 40 hours working week. At Solid Professionals, as a young professional you will earn a starting salary between €3,266.57 and €3823.96 based on 40 hours.

9. Secondary benefits

Benefits are also important. These differ per company, so check which conditions are favorable in your situation. Pay attention to this, for example:

  • Will your travel expenses be reimbursed?
  • How much pension do you build up?
  • How many vacation days do you get?
  • Is there a bonus scheme, do you get a thirteenth month or other financial perks?
  • Do you get a lease car or bicycle scheme?
  • Are you allowed to work (partly) from home?
  • Are the working hours flexible?
  • Will your employer perhaps pay (part of) your health insurance?
  • Do you get a laptop or a company phone?
  • Also check the nice extras, such as a sports subscription, a good lunch and nice company outings.

10. Growth opportunities

With most traineeships you grow after your traineeship. Check in advance with the organization or the recruiter which career opportunities you have after completing your traineeship. To which departments and which positions can you grow, for example? What does your possible career path look like? With this information you will have a clear picture of the future and you can make a well-considered choice.