The word traineeship or graduate program is commonly used nowadays. Many companies use it to 'decorate' regular jobs and make them more appealing to graduates. However, to classify as a real graduate program (traineeship) we set some requirements that need to be fulfilled by the offered position. Those requirements are:
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Objective: a graduate program is started with the purpose to develop high potentials graduates into top managers or specialists.
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Work and Learn: a graduate program is a combination of working and learning where working is a real job, no internship, and the learning part is a structured educational path.
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Multiple experiences: a trainee gets the chance to experience enriching moments by practicing minimal 2 different positions within the company. A position is held for minimal 3 months and a maximum of 2 years. A successful trainee can fulfil project based and regular positions.
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Education: a graudate program contains structured educational moments. Training is given by professionals from the employer or by specialized agencies. About 10-15% of the total employment duration is spent on training. It doesn't matter if training is given in multiple educational modules or in one specific period. Modules can be based profession based (or at least for those trainees that follow a graduate program for specialists) or more general focussed at processes (for those trainees active in management traineeships).
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Coaching: trainees are guided and coached by a direct manager or collegeau with experience and by someone not directly involved with the content of the day to day activities, like and advisor or external coach. A personal development plan and periodic review sessions are standard parts of the graduate program
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Duration: a graduate program has a clear begin and end date.
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