What Are the Different Types of Trainee Analyst Jobs?

Analysts gather data related to the performance of companies or systems and attempt to identify recent trends and make suggestions as to how efficiency could be improved. Finance firms, computer software companies and various other types of business entities employ college graduates in a variety of different trainee analyst jobs. Some trainee positions are temporary while others eventually transition into permanent analyst roles.

Trainee analyst jobs at investment firms are often filled by individuals who have completed undergraduate degree programs in finance, economics or a related topic. Some brokerage companies prefer to hire people who have also taken postgraduate courses in similar subject matters. Traders employed by investment firms are tasked with generating income for the company or its clients through buying and selling securities. Therefore, a trainee must assist an experienced analyst with preparing reports on the financial performance of particular corporations or the economy as a whole. Typically, the analyst is responsible for interpreting the data but the trainee takes an active part in gathering the information and shadows the analyst during the production of a report.

Computer companies and software manufacturers employ information technology (IT) graduates and those who have completed similar programs in trainee analyst jobs. These individuals are responsible for monitoring the performance of networks, hardware and software programs. While financial analysts are purely concerned with interpreting data, computer analysts are often tasked with resolving problems. Depending on the complexity of the systems being analyzed, a trainee employed by an IT company may need to have a postgraduate degree in computer science or a related topic. Typically, the trainees work under the close supervision of an experienced analyst but as the training program moves along the trainees are able to work on increasingly complex projects without much involvement from other individuals.

Firms that operate within many different industries often hire business or management analysts. Business analysts attempt to find ways for firms to interact more efficiently with clients and suppliers while management analysts study organizational structures and make suggestions as to how staffing models can be streamlined or made more efficient. People often prepare for these roles by working for a period of time in trainee analyst jobs. The trainees shadow the experienced analysts and learn techniques for interpreting information and methods for improving efficiency.

In some instances, trainee analyst jobs are short-term non-paid positions that are filled by college students. Typically, these programs last for a few months during breaks between semesters and the interns are able to gain an insight into the analyst's day-to-day responsibilities. Students who impress during internships are often given permanent jobs once they graduate from college.