Trainee/ˌtreɪˈniː/ Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Learning Phase Used for individuals gaining practical experience, often hands-on, in a job role. The trainee chef chopped vegetables alongside the head cook. Pro Tip 2/3Temporary Status A trainee is not yet permanent or fully qualified, still under supervision. As a trainee, she was not allowed to conduct the experiment unsupervised. Pro Tip 3/3Paid or Unpaid Trainees may receive a salary, but some trainee positions might be unpaid. He was excited to start as a paid trainee at the IT company.