Many different banks, from large financial institutions to small, local community branches, offer banking trainee programs for qualified individuals looking to start a career. These programs are often similar to paid internships, and available to recent graduates of relevant degree programs, such as finance or accounting. A banking trainee will typically spend a few months working in different departments in the bank and learning where he or she is most interested in working, and may then be recommended to become a trainee in a specific department for the purpose of eventually being offered a permanent position.
A banking trainee is an entry-level position, so anyone in this job should expect to provide administrative and office assistance as needed. Though the trainee is there to learn how to successfully work in more advanced positions, the point of these jobs is also to learn about daily operations of the bank, and how everything works. The best way to do this is to get actively involved in every department possible, which requires learning everything from how to answer the phones to how reports are processed or filed. In some banks, banking trainees might also be trained as tellers, to assist customers and understand how deposits and withdrawals are handled.
Of course, a banking trainee may have the opportunity to learn more advanced job skills as well, once he or she has mastered the basics. Most trainees will be regularly transferred between different departments in order to get as much experience as possible, and determine where he or she might like a permanent position. For instance, a trainee might assist lending officers in the mortgage department, or in personal and commercial lending to learn how different types of loans work. The trainee might also shadow financial advisors, or any other available permanent positions in the bank.
The next step in being a banking trainee is often a few months of dedicated work in a particular department. Once the trainee has been able to work and sample many different departments, he or she might have a better idea of where her specific interests lie. Working in a more permanent trainee position in this department is a good way to boost skills and experience; generally, this happens for a set period of time, such as three months. After the time is up, the trainee might be offered a permanent job, and, hopefully, all of the initial training she has had makes the transition virtually seamless.