There is no traineeship regulary framework in general in the Netherlands. The Ministry of Social Welfare and Employment gives rules for internships and community service internships. These rules concern, among others, the amount of working hours allowed per age category, if you have the right on minimum wage, and that at some workplaces you have to have a Certificate of Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent Gedrag; VOG) for example for being an intern in a child care centre or a security company. 

Traineeship programme of the national government

In the Traineeship programme of the national government (Rijkstraineeprogramma) trainees have the same rights as public servants. The national government has identified specific target groups. Local traineeships for specific target groups also exist, for example the Inclusion traineeship of Utrecht University (Universiteit Utrecht; UU) for refugees. Status holders can gain work experience. They start with an unpaid traineeship - while retaining benefits - at the UU for 6 - 8 months.

Secondary vocational education internships

On the Business square (Ondernemersplein) the government offers information for companies to become a recognized training company for students in secondary vocational education (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs; mbo). This is not necessary for an internship by students of higher vocational education (hoger beroepsonderwijs; hbo) or scientific education (wetenschappelijk onderwijs; wo). In a checklist Working with an intern companies can see what they need to arrange and what their obligations are. Other mandatory arrangements are to be a responsible and professional internship company, and to record agreements in an internship contract. Business square is a cooperation between the Chamber of Commerce KVK (Kamer van Koophandel; KVK) and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency RVO (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland; RVO). 
The government also gives information for doing an internship in the Netherlands for non-Dutch students.

The Act on Adult and Vocational Education (Wet educatie en beroepsonderwijs) and the Act on Higher Education and Academic Research (Wet op het hoger onderwijs en wetenschappelijk onderzoek) contain the legal conditions for apprenticeships in secondary vocational education (MBO) and universities of applied sciences (HBO). For example, secondary vocational education students may only apprentice at accredited work placement companies that meet the requirements of the Foundation for Cooperation on Vocational Education, Training and Labour Market (Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven): The workplace is safe, the tasks match the student’s educational training and a competent supervisor mentors the student.

Apprenticeships in the Netherlands are combined with training at institutes for secondary vocational education (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs - MBO) or universities of applied sciences (hogescholen - HBO). Secondary vocational education students following the work-based pathway (beroeps begeleidende leerweg – BBL) of their course do not study fulltime. Instead they work three or four days a week at a work placement company and receive theoretical education at school one day a week. For students at universities of applied sciences similar work-study programs (duale studies) exist.

The Foundation for Cooperation on Vocational Education, Training and Labour Market develops and maintains the qualification structure (kwalificatiestructuur) for apprenticeships in secondary vocational education (MBO) and accredits work placement companies. Educational institutes are responsible for the whole educational process including apprenticeships. A student’s college for secondary vocational education concludes a binding apprenticeship agreement with the student and the work placement company. The aforementioned educational acts do not regulate apprenticeship allowances and salaries, however collective labour agreements may apply.

The recognition of outcomes varies considerably. For example, the Traineeship programme of the national government (Traineeprogramma) lasts for two years. After 1,5 year trainees get a final review. If the trainee functioned very well, they may be offered the possibility of paid employment. Apprenticeships are part of formal education (secondary vocational education (MBO) and universities of applied sciences (HBO)), which means that students have to meet their educational institutes’ criteria to complete their apprenticeships and to obtain their diplomas. Another formal way to recognize learning outcomes is the Recognition of prior learning (Erkennen van Verworven Competenties - EVC). The  Foundation Labour market and Education Fund (Stichting Arbeidsmarkt en Opleidingsfonds) makes it possible for organizations, e.g. municipalities, to start an EVC course for their employees. See section 6.4 Validation of informal and non formal learning for more information about recognition or prior learning (the experience certificate).

Public funding is available for municipalities to support their traineeship and apprenticeship programmes. The Foundation Labour Market and Education Fund (Stichting Arbeidsmarkt en Opleidingsfonds; A&O fonds Gemeenten) supports the sector in the fields of labour market and Human Resource Management policy. The activities of this foundation contribute to more dynamic and creative municipalities. There is no further information found on the source of public funding at the top-level and the use of EU funding.

The strong growth of the ageing population makes the intake of young people in the public sector very important. The Foundation Labor market and Education Fund stimulate this movement for municipalities by commissioning research and offering a podcast about how to keep young people on board of the municipal organization as well as by organizing the "3-2-1-Co!" contest to put innovative ideas into practice. The foundation also distributes different general subsidies for innovation, which municipalities can apply for and that can be used for a project made-to-measure to make the municipal organization more appealing to young officers.

Unfortunately no information has been found on quality assurance. The traineeship programmes in public organizations vary, it is difficult to discover which quality assurance is applied to schemes of traineeship.

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap) has provided an assessment framework (toetsingskader) that among other things describes the requirements that students must meet to earn their diplomas. In the Foundation for Cooperation on Vocational Education, Training and Labour Market (Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven) employers and educational institutes together develop and maintain the qualification structure for apprenticeships in secondary vocational education (MBO). The requirements for one or more vocational education courses are outlined in so-called qualification files that are part of the qualification structure. Educational institutes for vocational education formulate their curricula on the basis of these qualification files.