Executive Summary

My two months of internship took place at the South West Regional Treasury (S.W.R.T) located at Clerks’ Quarter (Buea) adjacent to the Ministry of Basic Education. The purpose of this training was to enable me to gain experience of the real world conditions and to match theory with practice and also to know the practical nature of my specialty, the difficulties that will be involved, and some possible ways to handle them.

The Treasury acts as the Government’s bank. The South West Regional Treasury Buea has seven services that work collectively towards a common goal which is to execute the state’s budget in revenue and expenditure.

However as a Regional Treasury, it controls and treats the accounts of Divisional and Sub Divisional treasuries.

Just like any other organization, the South West Regional Treasury has its Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

CHAPTER ONE

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

1.1 Definition of Internship

An internship is a pre-professional experience whereby individuals get the required experience to get hired in a career field of interest. By completing an internship students will develop the knowledge and skills employers seek in this competitive job market. Although courses taken in college can help prepare for a future career in a specific field, it is the experiential component that actually provides the skills necessary to enter a field and be successful. There are many types of internships available. An internship for an art student seeking experience in a museum will look very differently that the internship that an environmental studies student might do to help improve the water quality in a local community. Just like jobs, internships come in all shapes and sizes and there is no limit to the types of internships available since they can be anything that suites ones imagination.

Internships can open the door to getting a job. For college students it’s important to complete the required courses to get a degree but oftentimes it’s not enough to be able to crack the job market and get hired in the field. In addition to gaining the required knowledge and skills, internships also provide a snapshot of what it would actually be like working in a particular field.

1.2 Characteristics of Internship.

A good and effective internship has certain characteristics which include things like the period and the general organization as stated below:

An internship contributes to the student’s personal and professional development through challenging work assignments and it is completed before the student graduates from the university.

An internship should balance the work need of the organization and the learning goals of the interns.

Internships promote academic, career and/or personal development.

Internships are distinguished from a short –term job or volunteer experience in that there is an intentional “learning agenda” structured according to the experience to be gained.

The duration may be anywhere from eight weeks to two years, but typically last the course of a semester.

Internships are planned and scheduled through consultation with the department or university so as fit into the undergraduate experience.

It involves a supervision component that is mentoring and educational. This supervision is carried out at the organization.

It includes career related experiences that complement what is learned in the classroom. This simply means matching theory to practical.

The student will have 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 valuable experience.

In summary, an internship program should provide the student with meaningful work experience, and the employer with a qualified employee to carry out the work. An internship should not be created solely to carry out clerical and/or less desirable tasks, interns should be challenged by and learn from their internship in ways that contribute to their educational and career goals.

1.3 Objectives of Internship.

1. The main objective of my internship is simply to match theory to practical and this will enable me to be ready for the job market.
2. Internship is also meant to help strengthen my professional skills and interpersonal relationships in a professional setting.
3. To allow me to get acquainted with business practices and procedures used in various organizations.
4. To provide me with preliminary work experience that can prepare me for my future career.

These are basically my objectives in carrying out this internship.

1.4 Importance of Internship.

1. To the Students

• Gaining Exposure to a Career Field Increases Likelihood of Retention; Not only are employers looking for individuals with relevant experience in the field, they are also looking for people who have had exposure to the field and the company and who really understand what it’s like working at that particular job. Employers understand that individuals, who have not had any exposure to the field, may find that it wasn’t exactly what they expected and may decide to leave after receiving several months of training. Since training is costly for employers, they usually try to avoid these situations whenever possible.
• It makes students become more mature and confident of their own capabilities, develop personal skills.
• Internships provide a link between academic learning and professional employment. Since many employers list previous internships as a requirement for their new hires, many applicants are already behind the par if they have not done some type of internship experience during their time in college.
• It is recommended that students try out several different internships to be able to get a sense of what it’s like working in a particular career field. This experience allows students to see what it’s like actually working in the field and a chance to evaluate the types of jobs that match their personal interests and personality
• Developing Essential Knowledge & Skills Increases Chances of Getting Hired; The opportunity to meet people currently working in the field, gaining valuable references, as well as getting exposure to the working environment, are three good reasons for students to consider doing one of more internships during college. Since many employers use their internship programs to train and select new hires for the organization, it’s crucial that interns do their best to prove to the employer that they have what it takes to be successful in the job. Internships are a way for students to build on their knowledge and skills while increasing their chances of getting hired for full-time positions that open up in the future.

2. To the Employer

• Can evaluate the student for potential full time employment.
• With interns available, it facilitates work in the organization.

1.5  Limitations of Internship

Sometimes it’s costly since most students cater for their needs while on internship with little or no support from the organization

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