CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background Of The Study

Internship is a requirement by the University of Buea as a partial fulfillment for the award of a B.Sc. Degree. Against this back drop, I was privileged to be an intern for a period of 2months in UNICS plc. It covered the period from 14th July to 30th August and was guided by a field supervisor.

Definition of internship

Internship is an opportunity to integrate career related experience into an undergraduate education by Participating in a planned and supervised work.

Internship provides real-world experience to those looking to explore or gain the relevant knowledge and skills required to enter into a particular career field. Interns generally have a supervisor who assigns specific tasks and evaluates the interns overall work. Interns can be high school students, university students or even adults interested in trying out a new career.

1.2 Characteristics Of Internship

• It contributes to the student’s personal and professional development through challenging work assignments and it is completed before the student graduates from the university.
• It is planned and scheduled through consultation with the department or university so as to fit into the undergraduate experience.
• It involves a supervision component that is mentoring and educational.
• It gives students a reflection and evaluation process at the conclusion of the internship.
• Internship is most successful when the student, the university, and the employer all share responsibility in making it a valuable experience.

1.3    Objectives Of Internship

1. To allow students to get acquainted with business practices and procedures used in various organizations.
2. To provide students with preliminary work experience that can prepare them for their future careers.
3. To allow students to apply theoretical knowledge acquired during university studies to practice.
4. To increase student’s skills that will help them in the future to find a job.

1.4   Importance Of Internship

Importance to Students

• It helps students enhance classroom experience and further develop and practice the required skills to solve emerging business problems.
• It helps students get practical work experience and can brighten their prospects in the changing job market.
• It helps students become more mature and confident of their own capabilities, develop personal skills by gaining professional skills.
• Importance to Employer
• They can evaluate the students for potential full time employment
• It gives the employer access to qualified candidates.
• Students contribute a new labour force and ideas to the work place

Importance to the University

• It makes the transfer out process easier for students
• Internship helps with retention and graduation.

Overview of UNICS

UNICS Plc like all other Micro Finance Institutions was created with the aim of reducing poverty through its banking services.

UNICS Plc carries out banking activities like receiving money from individuals and corporations thought different ways and lending this money out to business men and companies in variety of ways to active maximum returns and at the same time maintain sufficient liquidity to meet the daily demands of the customers.

The assets of UNICS Plc consist of furniture and fittings, computers, printers, scanners, loans to customer’s cash in bank and hand. Her major haplites include customer’s deposits of different types.

Historical Back Ground Of Unics Plc

Unity cooperatives society (UNICS Plc) is a Micro Finance Institution which has been in existence for 14 years. It was established on the 15th January 2000. This institution was created with main aim of reducing poverty by providing banking services to the under privileged, UNICS Plc has also helped in reducing the rate of unemployment in the society by employing young and vibrant youths

Today, UNICS Plc is a proud micro finance with 14branches spread through out the national territory. The branches of UNICS are; Buea, Limbe, Kribi, Bamenda, Bafut, Bambili, Deido, Akwa, Bonaberi in Douala, Head office branch, Yaounde marche’ central, Biyem- Assi in Yaounde and two sales points in Douala which are in Dakar and Ndobo, a sale point in Yaounde Tsinga

General Objectives Of Unics

It encourages savings by its members bringing as many individuals as possible to save.

Also, it aims at encouraging workers to invest, it  provides a source of funding (loans ) for developmental projects.

Moreover, it trains her staff in business management, control of money, good citizenship for economic development.

In addition, it participates in economic activities like paying taxes to the government.

Lastly, UNICS Plc employs vibrant youths there by reducing the level of unemployment in the economy of Cameroon.

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