Business

Find out what a trainee is and how it can be useful in your company

admin • 17 Sep 2023

A company has several ways to retain talent in its teams. One of them is the internship, in which those who are starting out with basic tasks can be hired at the end of the hiring period. However, an even more immersive way to train a new professional is through a trainee program. But do you know what a trainee is?

Do you want to attract new talent and, at the same time, train them for management or technical roles in your company? Discover what a trainee is and how to implement this program in your company!

What is a trainee?

This is a professional, usually a recent graduate or someone just finishing college, who has passed the selection process and will go through a company's training program. In general, the program lasts one year and, during this time, trainees pass through different business sectors. However, this can vary: some programs last six months, others two years. The time must be enough to transform participants into leaders of your business.

The selection process is also longer than that of hiring interns or professionals in operational positions. Remember that the intention is for the trainee to have a strategic role in the company. Therefore, during the process, the candidate must demonstrate something more, beyond what you already see on the market.

What is a trainee's remuneration like?

It tends to be higher than that of young people who are starting their careers. The trainee works 8 hours/day in accordance with the CLT.

Positions and salaries tend to vary. But if you want to open a selection process for trainees in different segments of your company, ideally everyone should have the same salary. After all, everyone is at the same hierarchical level.

In the case of a certain position that is in very low demand, the higher value may be an advantage in attracting new professionals.

A trainee's remuneration is usually higher precisely because the charge he receives is also higher.

Who can participate in the trainee process?

Knowing what a trainee is helps you in many stages, especially in relation to the hiring process

Most companies use the following criteria:

• students in the last two years of college or with up to two years of training. Some companies extend the term for those who have up to three years;
• bachelors (4 to 6 years of course);
• graduate students can also participate;
• some positions require specific knowledge, while others only require the candidate to have higher education;
• although it is most common to hire young people over 18 years old, the ideal is not to limit the process by age (for example, do not hire older professionals who are starting over);
• Knowledge of other languages ​​is also interesting, depending on the size of the company.

The programs usually take place annually, starting in the second semester. An example: enrollment takes place in July; in August, the first phase takes place. How it unfolds depends on the number of steps that the Human Resources team decides to add to the process. Candidates are selected by December at the latest, when they are interviewed by the company's CEO, and start in January.

It is important that all steps are clear and well explained before the process even begins, as soon as vacancies are announced. Because it takes longer than a typical hiring process, the candidate may feel discouraged or think they are just wasting time and money.

The whole process should be like a little experience of the situations that the professional can go through in the company and what he would do to solve them. Written tests, group dynamics and project creation are some of the tests that can be applied.

What does it take to be a trainee?

In addition to the aforementioned characteristics, the professional needs to have other qualities to stand out in the process and take advantage of the training program:

• good relationship with all levels (strategic, tactical, operational);
• good communication, both written and verbal;
• ease of adaptation in different sectors;
• creativity in problem solving;
• facility to work in a team;
• ease with data and numbers;
• I like changing routine;
• Easy learning;
• entrepreneurial spirit;
• leadership spirit;
• taste for studying;
• resourcefulness;
• versatility;
• curiosity.

How can a trainee program bring benefits to your company?

With information about what a trainee is, you can now see why this type of program is important for your company's growth.
Now that you know what a trainee is, see why having this type of professional can be advantageous for your business:

• new ideas for your business: the trainee is a newly graduated professional, who is aware of what the market most demands today;
• a “gas” for your company’s projects;
• you will have a professional who knows different segments of your business;
• since he usually has little experience, you will have an easier time introducing him to the needs of the organization;
• As mentioned, the trainee receives training to work in almost all areas of a corporation. Therefore, you will have someone qualified to assist with different projects;
• the trainee has a good  relationship with both the operational teams and senior management;
• The varied knowledge of a trainee can mean savings in different segments.