The best trainee opportunities will pertain to the career you intend to pursue in the long term. If you are a student in high school or college, think carefully about the career fields that interest you and try to find trainee opportunities in those fields. If none are available, you may want to consider traineeships in broad categories that will translate to various career fields; a management traineeship, for example, may be offered in retail settings, and such positions may be beneficial to you even if you do not want to work in retail for the rest of your career.
The management trainee opportunities will teach you basic skills for managing other employees and accomplishing other various duties that will inevitably fall on you as a manager. Problem solving skills as well as customer service techniques will usually be included in your training, and such skills often translate into other fields very easily. Potential employers will look for such training and value you more as a job candidate if you have undergone such trainee opportunities.
If you intend to enter industrial career fields, consider trainee opportunities that will give you the skills necessary to operate various types of machinery. Some types of traineeships will focus on one or two specific types of machines, while others will focus on broader machinery concepts; you can even consider a traineeship that focuses on heavy machinery repair and maintenance. This will give you a skill set that is valued in several industries, from manufacturing to construction.
College students studying in a specific field may want to consider consulting an academic advisor or career counseling center on campus. These departments or advisors often have resources that will point you toward the best trainee opportunities in your field; they may also have contacts with specific companies or businesses that offer traineeships. Consult with these departments or advisors first to find more information and possible guidance.
Internships are trainee opportunities that are generally unpaid positions. During an internship, you will perform various low-level tasks, but you will also have the opportunity to learn valuable skills from more experienced employees and develop important contacts within the industry or field you intend to enter after graduation. Internships are usually temporary or seasonal positions that accommodate your school schedule, and some internships are designed specifically for a certain type of applicant. Some internships, for example, are designed specifically for high school students, while others are designed only for college students.