Field attachment report

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ALIE CHIBWE (ZANZIBAR UNIVERSITY)
FACULTY OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
FIELD ATTACHMENT REPORT
DEAPRTMERNT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
AUTHOR: ALIE CHIBWE
YEAR OF STUDY: FIRST(BUSINESS INFO. TECH.)
SEMISTER: SECOND
WORKPLACE: FATTANI OFFSET PRINTERS
WORK SUPERVISOR: MR. SHAREEF KAWO
SUPERVISOR: MR. OMAR KASSIM
SUBMISSION DATE: 10 0CTOBER, 2012

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ACKNWLEDGEMENT
First of all, I would like to thank the Almighty Allah for the charitable
time and strength, aptitude and persistence for magnificently
completing my field attachment and this report. I could have done
nothing if it was not for his willpower.
I wish to acknowledge certain individuals and organisations for their
Contributions towards the production of this field attachment report.
I would like to thank my Uncle and my Grand Mum in Mzuzu with
sincere gratitude for their absolute support on everything. My
sincere thanks also go to my sponsors (The Islamic Zakat fund) for
their comprehensive support on my education.
I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the help
provided to me by Mr Rajab Billy for providing mi with necessary
materials and guidance to the completion of this report. I would also
like to thank Miss Zaitun Fulano for the respectable help she
provided mi in fetching some information of this report.
Lastly, I wish to humbly acknowledge with sincere gratitude, my
supervisor Mr Shareef kawo and also Mr Richard for their advice and
guidance during my field attachments. It was their persistent
criticism and assistance that brought hope and confidence in me as I
was working, even at the most depressing moments. These two guys
ware truly a source of inspiration. Mr Shareef Kawo’s support has
certainly made working at Fattani Offset Printers an enhancing and
developmental experience.

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Table of Contents
1.1 INTRODUCTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
1.1OBJECTIVES OF INTERNSHIP TRAINING ------------------------------------------------------- 5
1.2SCOPE OF INTERNSHIP TRAINING ------------------------------------------------------------------ 6
1.4 ORGANISATION BACKGROUND---------------------------------------------------------------------- 7
FATTANI OFFSET PRINTERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7
PRINTING SERVICES OFFERED AT FATTANI OFFSET PRINTERS ------------------------------------------------ 9
Background of Fattani Offset Printers-Mega Graphics Department----------------------------------------10
2.0INTRODUCTION -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13
2.1 ROLE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BIT -------------------------------------------------------------14
2.2REPORTING AND INDUCTION AT THE ORGANISATION -----------------------------14
2.3 THE DEPARTMENT TO WHICH I WAS ASSIGNINED -----------------------------------15
Tasks that I was assigned:---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16
Officers I worked with -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------17
2.4 THE ROLE OF THE WORK PLACE SUPERVISOR ------------------------------------------18
2.5 ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITY SUPERVISOR ----------------------------------------------------19
3.0INTRODUCTION -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------20
3.1ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE OF FATTANI OFFSET PRINTERS -----------------20
3.2 NEW THINGS LEARNED AT THE WORKPLACE --------------------------------------------21
3.3 PERSONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORGANISATION ------------------------------22
3.4 PROBLEMS NOTECED DURING THE INTERNSHIP ---------------------------------------22
4.0 CONCLUSION ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------24
4.2 ORGANISATION WHERE THE INTERNSHIP WAS CARRIED OUT --------------24

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CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND TO THE INERNSHIP
TRAINING
1.1 INTRODUCTION
An internship or field attachment is a full time work experience,
closely aligned with the student’s specialisation and arranged with
an employer who believes it is desirable to aid and help the
university in training and education of the student. It is of a short
duration, typically of three to four months or one semester, the
duration varies according to Universities consideration. The duration
at Zanzibar University is six weeks. The employer agrees to provide
the intern with a progressive educational experience, through direct
personal contact hours or through a training program, and to aid the
intern in developing a summary report of his/her experience
At Zanzibar University field attachment is obligatory to all students
pursuing undergraduate degree programmes in partial fulfilment of
their degree programme.
Zanzibar University introduced the field attachment training to be
part and parcel of each and every undergraduate degree programme
in the year 2010. Unlike past several years since the establishment
of the university in 1997-1998, when the field attachment programme
was compulsory only to students of Faculty of Law and Sharia, the
programme is now obligatory to all second year students of every
programme of study including first year students of Business
information Technology (BIT).
The purpose of field attachment at Zanzibar University practically
oriented graduates that meet the required job related competences

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of their future employers. On top of that it also serves as a linkage
or bond between the university and the partners who consume
services and/or products of the university.
An intern is someone who works in a temporary position with an
emphasis on the job training rather than employment (Witwatersrand
University, 2009). Interns are usually College students or University
Students but they can also be High School students or postgraduate
adults seeking skills for a new career. They may also be young
middle school students in some areas.
1.1OBJECTIVES OF INTERNSHIP TRAINING
Internships provide an opportunity for students to link theory with
practice and further serve as a bonus work force to those
organisations that have committed to participate in the internship
program. The department fulfils its mission of training the students
for significant professional and managerial positions in the real
working environment at the same time benefiting from the work done
the students. Among the objectives of internship training, same are
as follows
 To enables a student to compare theoretical ideas learned in the
classroom to that of the real world experience regarding their
specialisation.
 To provides a student with experience in an actual work
environment before entering the job market. Such experience not
only increases Student’s job prospects, but also teaches what is
expected in terms of professional behaviour.
 To permits a student to apply the principals and technical skills
learned in the classroom to real-life problem solving situation.

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 To provide students with the opportunity to test their interest in a
particular career before permanent commitments are made. For
example myself, I had a chance to work at Mega graphics1 where
all the work is about maintenance.
1. To enhance and strengthen linkage between the University and
various Organisations and Companies.
2. To help students get prepared to enter into full -time employment
in their area of specialization upon graduation.
3. To ensure students develop employment records/references that
will enhance employment opportunities.
1.2SCOPE OF INTERNSHIP TRAINING
The internship program provides chances to students to put what they
have learnt in class into practice. On top of that students also grasp
skills and principles which they couldn’t gain just by attending classes,
to my side I cultured so much that I haven’t done while I was at school.
 I am now able to operate on Macintosh computers
professionally.
 Because of internship training, am now able to fix iPods,
iPhones, iPads, and Macintosh computers in terms of both
hardware and software.
 With internship training, I have learnt how important it is to be
punctual at work so as not to miss any penny from salary.
1
An IT department at Fattani Offset Printers which looks at all problems with IT equipment in the company.

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1.4 ORGANISATION BACKGROUND
FATTANI OFFSET PRINTERS
Fattani Offset Printers is one of the giant printing agencies with more
than 27 years of service in Malawi. The company has a capacity of 250
workers with Mr Imran Razaak, Mr Ahmad Razaak, and Mr Irfan Fattan
as directors.
The company is merely Malawian and has several departments as
follows
 Administration
 Accounts and finance
 Sales and marketing
 IT department (Mega Graphics)
 Production and stores

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Figure
Fattani Offset Printers is situated at Ginnery Corner along Salumin
Omar road in Fattani House opposite The Nations Newspaper 2
headquarters. The company serves a large market in the country
ranging from printing of books, receipts, Purchase orders, Cash sales
etc. The company also produces Textbooks of various sizes and pages
with all sizes and pages with all types of binding like saddles stitch or
perfect. It also accommodates orders for all types of labels with various
shapes (e.g. dye cut) on high quality self-adhesive paper; business
cards, magazines as well as news latters, annual reports, flyers,
packaging materials, posters, A1+ on paper or flexor. The company
also does calendars and diaries which are designed and printed per
client request. Clients have mandate to choose any type of material or
paper to be used on their products. Printing of golf shirts, T -shirts,
cups and mugs are being done while the customer is waiting. Some of
2
One of the largest Newspaper Publishing Companies in Malawi.

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the companies regular customers are population services international
(PSI), UNICEF, Ministry of education, Ministry of health, and Malawi
Electoral commission. The company is registered with the office of
director of procurement (ODPP) as per government, it is required to be
recognisable of goods and services.
PRINTING SERVICES OFFERED AT FATTANI OFFSET PRINTERS
 Graphic designing
 Promotional Items
 Annual reports
 Brochures and leaflets
 Packaging materials
 Packaging materials
 Printed Stationary
 Posters
 Calendars
 Magazines
 Exercise books
 Brochures and leaflets
 High volume printing
 Printed Stationary
 Repro and designing
 News Papers

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 Corporate Identity
Background of Fattani Offset Printers-Mega Graphics Department
Mega Graphics and Fattani Offset printers merged in 2000, Mega
Graphics is the only authorized Apple resellers in Malawi it is situated
at ginnery corner along Salumin Amour road in Fattani House. Mega
Graphics was established in 1997 and by 2002 it was accepted by
Apple Macintosh Inc., as the first and only authorized Apple reseller in
Malawi. Currently Mega Graphics has five skilled workforces, where
three work as sales representatives and the other two work as
workshop technicians.
Mega Graphics is a Malawian based Apple Company, it’s a private
organization and it is planning to expand its operations to different
cities of Malawi namely: Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Zomba 3. Their goal in
opening branches in major cities is to increase the size of its market
and to target those customers that need Apple materials for their
operations mostly the publishing companies, mainly those with no
access to such materials. They also want to create a massive
communication pattern to the general public to communicate the
importance of using Apple computer so that they can maintain and lead
as sole supplier of apple computers to most organizations. It supplies
apple products to more than 20 companies including corporates within
Malawi.
3
Three other cities in Malawi apart from Blantyre(Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Zomba)

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Mega Graphics offers the following Products
iPods iPhones Laptops iPad & Desktop
iPod Nano
iPod shuffle
iPod classic
iPod touch
iPhone 2G
iPhone 3G
iPhone 3GS
iPhone 4
Mac Books
Mac Book Air
Mac Book Pro
iMac
iPad
iPad 2
Contact Details:-
Tel /Fax
Tel: +265(0) 1-876 288/ 1-872 259/ 1-873 827/ 1-876 997/ 1-873 249
Fax: (265)(0) 1-873 901/ 1-877 284
E-mail: info@fattani.com
Address:
Fattani Offset Printers
P.O. Box 356
Blantyre
Malawi.

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Fattani Offset Printers/Mega Graphics annual report (2004), general
members meeting; it’s a report that reviewed the major objectives,
goals and strategies of Fattani and Mega Graphics.

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CHAPTER TWO
MANAGEMENT OF THE INTERNSHIP
TRAINING
2.0INTRODUCTION
Management of internship programme starts from the university itself
where a number of lecturers are chosen to move wherever place the
students are for supervision. The university supervisors communicate
with the workplace supervisor to check on how the student is
performing on his/her work and the behaviour at the workplace.
Zanzibar university Internship management is far more complex and
difficult to manage since there are a large number of students from
outside Tanzania; this becomes a problem in the sense that the
university needs more Money to finance the internship supervision.
Besides all these problems Zanzibar University is able to make sure
that all students from different countries are reached and supervised in
time. My sincere gratitude to Zanzibar University for the work well done
inspite that supervising some students in other countries like Botswana
and Comoros becomes very costly since the number of students in
those countries is very few.
In addition to that I say Big up to Zanzibar University for the good
management of internship management training. I was amazed when
my University supervisor (Mr Omar Kassim) showed up in Malawi at my
workplace; it was my pleasure and it gave me that inside motivation of
my internship training. On top of that it also showed me love and
affection that Zanzibar University has on its students regardless of who
they are and where they come from.

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2.1 ROLE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BIT
Business Information Technology (BIT) has a great role to play at
Fattani Offset Printers, The Company especially Mega Graphics
department deals with both Technology (in terms of maintenance and
networking) and a lot of business transactions. This gives countless
chance to BIT as course.
During my time at Fattani Offset printers-Mega Graphics4, I had been
able to do my maintenance work as well as following up what was being
done at marketing department due the knowledge of marketing I
attained during my first year of study in BIT. This noticeably shows
boundless roles that BIT can play in Different organisations and
departments.
2.2REPORTING AND INDUCTION AT THE
ORGANISATION
Induction is defined by the Oxford Dictionary of Human Resource
Management as ‘the formal process of familiarizing a newcomer to an
organisation’. Typically, it involves
 An introduction to the organisation by a senior manager;
 A guided tour of the workplace;
 Introductions to co-workers and managers;
 An explanation of health and safety procedures;
 The completion of employment documentation, for payroll,
pension, etc.;
A discussion with a personnel specialist (or the line manager) about
employment policies and procedures (appraisal, grievance, equal
opportunities, etc.); and
A discussion with the line manager about expectations and
requirements of the job and the immediate training needs.
4
An IT department at Fattani Offset Printers in which I used to work.

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Induction program at Fattani Offset Printers is not taken much into
consideration. Throughout my period at the company, I never had an
opportunity to be introduced to the rest of the employees in the
company.
However, besides being an Intern in the company I have seen some
new employees being recruited into the company. None of all the
employees was taken through the induction process.
Fattani Offset Printers has a formal Organisation whereby each and
every employee has to report according to the organisation’s line of
authority. For example when I wanted some accessories or equipment
needed for maintenance work, I had to report to my supervisor first and
then my supervisor would report to the big boss to open the store room
to bring out the stuff.
2.3 THE DEPARTMENT TO WHICH I WAS ASSIGNINED
During the time I worked at Fattani Offset Printers I was attached as a
remote technician where I had to work hand in hand with the Chief
Technician, Mr Shareef Kawo.
Mega Graphics is a Department at Fattani Offset Printers which deals
with the distribution of Apple products which include iPhones, iPods
and others as I have explained earlier in this report. In the process of
distributing these products Mega Graphics also offers support to its
customers in terms of assembling, fixing, and providing any other
support needed by the customers on the products they buy from Mega
Graphics shops and wherever as far as it is an Apple product. Likewise
Mega Graphics is responsible for whichever problem with the
company’s computers or any other IT issues.
Mega Graphics is headed by Mr Imran Razaak Fattani who looks over
all the employees in a more centralised manner. Besides Mr Shareef
Kawo who comes just below him as a Chief Technician, he doesn’t

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have any control any equipment in the store room where all the
accessories are retained.
Tasks that I was assigned:-
The very first assignment I was given the time I joined Mega Graphics
was to configure the FingureTech Machine
which had broken down in terms of software
and its connectivity with the Computer. The
machine broke down the time the company
was shifting from the old building to the new
building.
Lucky enough Alhamdulillah, I had figured out the problems and the
machine got back to its normal state.
Gathering information from the customers to facilitate troubleshooting
Tasks. This task was performed in the following ways:-
 Answering a questionnaire. This was through face to face
conversation with the customers, so as to get complete details of
what Happened to the machine for easy problem identification.
 Opening job cards, these are the repair form which a customer
has to fill before his or her job is worked on. This makes sure that
a customer abides to all the conditions for payment and other
rules of the company.
 Remotely assisting customers through internet and telephone
 Assist in general IT support and troubleshooting, if any user
around the premises is having problems with his/her computer for
example if the computer is not picking up the wireless signal I
would go and assist and also issues concerning installing
programs had to assist in the sense that there is a policy at the
Figure

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organization that only IT personnel can only authorize installation
of programs.
Most of the time I was kept busy doing several software installations
that included
 Installing a mac version Microsoft Office package on different
Mac machines.(Microsoft Office 2011)
 Installing a Mac version Adobe package, this was common
because most mac computers are used for graphics and Web
designing.
 Installing toast; Disk writing application.
 Installing Mac Operating System.
 Installing Upgrades commonly Operating System Upgrades.
 Installing other utility program i.e. vlc, Firefox, Skype, etc.
 Assembling iMac computers
 Replacing any damaged components that include Hard Disk
Drives, RAM, LCD, Super Drives, etc.
I grasped a lot from this work since I
had a chance to observe clearly the
layout of Macintosh computers in
terms of its motherboards which are
not of much different from that of
windows computers.
Macintosh motherboards also have expansion slots for RAM and Sata
connector to the Hard Drive.
Officers I worked with
Most of the tasks mentioned above ware almost new to me and I
couldn’t just do them on my own. Hence I had to look for help from
those whom I was learning from.

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Actually I used to work with two people, The Chief Technician and his
Assistant
1) The Chief Technician, Mr Shareef Kawo
He is responsible in looking after all Maintenance problems regarding
both software and hardware and that they are fixed and reported to the
big boss in time.
Providing an order of the necessary accessories needed for work to the
big boss.
Chief technician, Mr Shareef kawo looks at the overall of all technical
issues in the department.
2) The Assistant to the Chief Technician, Mr Richard Chiluwe
Mr Richard Chiluwe does all hardware maintenance problems and the
rest of the software part is left for Mr Shareef Kawo.
My relationship with these two Officers was so outstanding that they
not only took me as an intern wanting to learn from them but as their
own brother that they used to consider me in their private business.
The people I used to work with had been one of the reasons why I
loved working at Mega Graphics. These people could let me ask any
question at any time and I was assisted immediately.
2.4 THE ROLE OF THE WORK PLACE SUPERVISOR
Internship training normally consists of two supervisors, the University
supervisor and the workplace supervisor. These two work together in
the management of internship program of the student.
The workplace supervisor is responsible for assignment of necessary
work to the intern (student).

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Providing a safe and supportive workplace for the student and
integrating learning tasks into work activities to help the student
develop him/herself in the most effective way
Managing risk and safety while training, to make sure the student is
working in a safe environment
Being a role model and giving the right impression of appropriate work
attitude to the student.
The workplace supervisor is also responsible for observing the overall
performance of the student in terms of behaviour and work
performance.
2.5 ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITY SUPERVISOR
The university supervisor looks after the overall performance of the
student by checking on him through his/her workplace supervisor at the
training place. The university supervisor is also responsible in
preparing the course work marks of the students after completion of
their reports.

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CHAPTER THREE
3.0INTRODUCTION
Fattani Offset Printers is one formal organisation whose reporting and
induction is done formally. It has an organisation which has clear line
of authority.
3.1ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE OF FATTANI OFFSET
PRINTERS
BOD
FATTANI OFFSET PRINTERS
DIRECTORS
MEGA GRAPHICS
ACCOUNT &
FINANCE
SALES &
MARKETING
ADMINISTRATION PRODUCTION
Sales man
R&D
Chief accountant
Accountants Security
HR Printing
Desktop
APPLE
SHOP
WORK
SHOP
Sales
Repres.
Technicians

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3.2 NEW THINGS LEARNED AT THE WORKPLACE
I have been exposed to different routines, procedures and practices
that are involved in gathering required information from customers to
facilitate troubleshooting processes, proper way of answering incoming
call, as well as how to gracefully welcome them and how to gracefully
end calls. I conducted these functions through e-mails, questionnaires
and phone calls.
Working with professionals in ICT filed was the best experience I had; I
understood that it requires one to be competent enough to be an expert
in IT.
The experience of working in a real world, were work does not only
involve fixing the clients machines but also to interact with them
emotionally.
The experience of working against time, most customers preferred their
equipment to be fixed within a limited amount of time this posed as a
challenge at the same time it’s an experience I have gained during my
stay at Mega Graphics.
Working with Apple Macintosh platform, this platform is not common to
many universities and other high learning institutions; Working with this
platform I have gained the following experiences:-
 How to install Mac version Microsoft Office packages on
different Mac computers
 How to install a Mac version Adobe Packages
 How to install an operating system i.e. Mac OS X 10.4,
Leopard, Lion, and mountain Lion.
 How to assemble Mac computers i.e. Mac Book laptops and
Desktops.
 How to fix iPhones, iPods, and iPads in terms of both
hardware and software.

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Working with Mega Graphics, I have gained a lot of skills t hat I couldn’t
have gained through my degree level education at Zanzibar University
as we used to deal with Macintosh products.
Not only have I gained a number of skills but also new good friends
whom I can be with, never say a word and walk away as it was the best
conversation I have never had before. The people I used to work with
would encourage me to work very hard on my work and teach me how
to things in a professional way.
3.3 PERSONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
ORGANISATION
During my period of work at Fattani Offset Printers I had also offered
several personal contributions to the organisation.
The time I was working on the FingerTec Machine, This machine used
to connect to a computer with windows xp operating system. I had to
provide several windows software such as Adobe reader and Windows
xp Drivers for the machine to get connected to the computer.
In addition to that I also used to toil on some work which was just idol
on my own time. (Out of work time e.g. Lunch time).
During the whole time of my internship at the company I was using my
own computer to do most of the work I was given. I could make
research and download Programs for use in the company’s work.
3.4 PROBLEMS NOTECED DURING THE INTERNSHIP
Most key workers are underpaid; this increases the risk of losing
experienced workers. This is the risk that Mega Graphics is facing as of
now.

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Lack of punctuality among other workers, during my stay at Fattani
Offset Printers I often used to start work let than usual time b ecause
the one who had the authority of keeping office keys was coming let
almost all the time.
Lack of honest workers that reduces the company revenue, most
workers performs duties for their own benefits. For example a
technician could fix a client’s computer without opening a job card.
Lack of motivation to the workers, Mega graphics is an Apple products
distributer yet the workers use different kinds of phone instead of
iPhones. It happened that one time the sales personnel was asked by
the customer to say ‘’Why are you using Blackberry phone yet you are
selling iPhones’’ This showed some kind of doubts in the customers
mind, and could bring down the business.
Lack of team orientation and aggressiveness in performing routine
tasks, this eventually reduces the workforce ability to effectiveness and
efficiency.
They overprice their products and this is giving them a
disadvantageous position as competition is growing in their industry.
Most employees are not outcome oriented and they do not pay much
attention to work place details.

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CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 CONCLUSION
To conclude with, I first appreciate Zanzibar University for the
introduction of internship programme. The program is a very great
portion of every Bachelor’s degree at the University since to get
employment nowadays is an identical problem everywhere in the world .
This is due to lack of experience in most of the graduates as they say
it.
Therefore the program is indeed helping students to get some
experience which the can actually show on their CV before getting real
employment. I have personally noticed two students 5 (Graduates) of
Zanzibar University getting employed at Fattani Offset Printers due to
their outrageous performance the time they were doing Field
attachments.
4.2 ORGANISATION WHERE THE INTERNSHIP WAS
CARRIED OUT
My field attachments were conducted at Fattani Offset printers in the
city of Blantyre, Malawi. The company is situated at Ginnery corner
along Salumin Omar Road opposite The Nation News Paper Company
Headquarters building.
Another appreciative fact about the field attachment at Zanzibar
University is the way it is managed. Zanzibar University could be
number one university staggering to manage the internship training
program since it has a large number of foreign students like Malawians,
Zambians, Rwandese, Burundians, Kenyans, and others. This could be
a huge burden to the University administration, but Alhamdulillah the
5
Aisha Ibrahim & Nelson Ndeketa both did marketing here at Zanzibar University.
Nelson Ndeketa graduated in 2004 & Aisha Ibrahim in 2011.

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University tries as much as possible to reach in all these countries to
supervising their students.
From what I have observed during my time of field attachments, I say
field attachment program for Zanzibar University was a great idea and I
pray to the Almighty Allah that the program should keep on functioning
well as well as good management. May Allah produce good outcomes
prom the program.
Application and communication for the field attachment should be
improved because sometimes to get a job especially in Malawi it is not
straight forward. If the BBA department got hold of a few institutio ns in
Malawi, it would lessen up the hustles involved in getting a job. For
example on my side I had problems getting a job on a number of
occasions they told me a student is already doing his field attachment
and the capacity is full. If the BBA department could get hold of a few
organisations and communicate with them that this year you are likely
to have students from Zanzibar University and you state the number of
students coming is this amount it would really make things easier.

Field attachment report

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