Why a traineeship is the best start to your career

Written by Marlou Kramer | 27-jun-2025 14:20:11

You’re almost done with university and standing at the beginning of your career. The world is your oyster. 🎓💪 You want to gain some more work experience and expand your skill set at the same time. In that case, a traineeship is the perfect choice. In this blog, we’ll discuss all the perks and benefits of a traineeship and show you how to find one that suits your ambitions.

But first: what is a traineeship?

Companies first created traineeships for starting professionals (such as yourself) to learn the ins and outs of their field of expertise. The general definition of a traineeship is a starter position in which you both work and learn. Traineeships can differ per organisation, but in all cases, it will be a combination of a full-fledged job and a learning trajectory. The goal is to train you into a specialist in a certain field. Working, learning, and personal development are all key in a traineeship programme. Think of it as a bridge between your studies and your working life.

The benefits of a traineeship

Consider entering a traineeship after your studies? Great! Because they bring along a ton of benefits. We’ve made an overview of them right here:

1. You keep learning, except this time, it’s paid

Making money whilst learning. Sounds good, right? Well, it’s exactly what you’ll do during a traineeship. You get paid from day one, whilst you still get to develop yourself. But the exact specifications of the development part of a traineeship can differ per traineeship and company, so keep a keen eye on the details! Choosing the right traineeship starts with understanding what matters most to you.

2. You develop at lightning speed with a ton of guidance

This is your first job; you’re starting at the bottom, you need to get used to your newfound rhythm in work, and you’re gaining a ton of experience whilst you’re at it.

Yes, your first real job is quite a challenge, so a little help is nice. Most providers of traineeships give you a coach to guide you. With us, this is a personal talent manager.

Your talent manager will help you set and reach your goals. With a ton of personal attention, you’ll learn your best qualities and how to use your talent optimally. You’ll also learn what your blindspots are and how to avoid them. In short, you’ll get to know yourself a lot better.

Read why a talent manager is so chill.

4. You learn specific skills and obtain certificates

During a traineeship you can attend all kinds of training courses and obtain certificates. Usually, you can choose these yourself and you have your own training budget. You can use this budget to develop the hard skills needed for your job, such as SQL, Python, Power BI or obtaining your CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) certificate. But you can also use the budget to further develop your soft skills. Think of stakeholder management training, learning how to present or training for your mental resilience.

5. It is easier to get into big companies

It is not always easy to get into large companies. Especially in the financial sector, such as the well-known banks. This is easier with a traineeship than when you apply for an entry-level position yourself. It gives you a good impression of what it is like to work somewhere and after your traineeship you have a good chance of getting a job in the same organization. With us, 94% of young professionals join the company where they start after completing the traineeship.

6. You quickly build a strong network

At the beginning of your career, your network is still small. An extensive network offers many opportunities for your future. Your traineeship is an excellent opportunity to get to know many different people: inside and outside the organization and among your fellow trainees starting at the same time as you. In no time you will have a large professional network.

Where to find a traineeship?

Do you want to look for a traineeship that suits you? There are several websites and job boards you can go to, such as: Indeed, LinkedIn or Magnet.me. There are also intermediate parties such as us, Solid Professionals, who offer traineeships. Many large organizations work with parties like us, because then they know for sure that the trainees are well supported. Keep a close eye on the various providers for new open traineeships and talk to different companies. Then you will have some comparison material. After all, it is about your career and your future!

Are there any disadvantages to a traineeship?

Where there are advantages, there are also disadvantages. So before you take such an important step, it is good to think about these. First of all, a traineeship can be quite intensive. You learn a lot in a short time and this demands quite a lot from you. This is of course a nice challenge, but you have to be ready for it. Sometimes there are also strict entry requirements, such as a Master's degree or a final average grade (GPA) that is not lower than a 7. Finally, a traineeship can also take quite a long time, from 1 to a maximum of 3 years. It is therefore important that you fit in well.

Keep these points in mind when making your choice. Good luck!

View full post