Entering the workforce generally means starting at the bottom within a company. Office trainee jobs are entry-level positions in which a new employee can learn the skills and techniques necessary to be successful in a particular office environment. The specific job duties of such trainees will vary significantly according to the type of office as well as the type of industry in which he or she will work. Some office trainee jobs focus on clerical positions such as secretaries or administrative assistants; others may be management training positions that prepare a candidate for a job with more responsibility.
Secretaries do not often need a college degree in order to get a position in an office, but they will generally need to complete a high school education or equivalent qualification, then take part in office trainee jobs that focus on preparing that candidate for a full-time secretarial position. The new trainee will usually work under the guidance and supervision of either a more experienced secretary or the office manager, if one exists. Such traineeships do not generally last very long, but if the secretary is training for a more advanced position or one with more responsibility, the training may take much longer depending on the complexity of the job.
Office trainee jobs that focus on management are usually awarded to employees who have been with a company for an extended period of time and who have demonstrated particular abilities and talents that might qualify them to become managers. The training period can vary in duration depending on the trainee's existing skill set and previous work experience. Sometimes candidates for these trainee positions can come from outside the company, but this is less common. In some settings, the management trainee may need to complete certain management certifications or take examinations to qualify for a management position. The office trainee jobs, in this case, will often focus on preparing the candidate for such licenses or certifications.
If specific roles within an office exist, each job candidate will need to train for the position. Some offices, for example, will hire dispatchers who will often communicate via phone and e-mail with that company's laborers or workers. Police stations and fire stations also usually hire dispatchers for various types of office work. Dispatcher training can be quite lengthy and in-depth, and once training is complete, it is likely the job candidate will take one of many office trainee jobs before working full time independently.