A REPORT ON INTERNSHIP ATTACHMENT CARRIED OUT AT MISSION

TRUST SOLUTIONS LIMITED

BY: NABATANZI HEATHER KS18B05/503

AGENCY SUPERVISOR: MR. SSETUMBA JOEL

ACADEMIC SUPERVISOR: MADAM MAGOBA DORCAS

Internship Report presented to the School of Business for the partial fulfilment of a
bachelor’s degree in Business and Administration at Uganda Christian University, Mukono.

Date: October, 2021.

Declaration:

I NABATANZI HEATHER declare that this report is based on the experience and
knowledge acquired throughout my internship. Therefore, it is not a duplication or
reproduction of any other report. I have personally carried out the training as required and all
the information contained in it is based on my experiences during the internship engagement
and has never been presented to any university for examination with intention to be awarded.

Signature: Date: 30th November 2021.

Signature (academic supervisor): Date: 30th November 2021.

Acknowledgement:

I could not have completed this internship without the help, love and support from a plethora
of people. First and foremost, I would like to thank the school and staff of the School of
Business for all of their help and support. I especially would like to thank my academic
supervisor Madam MAGOBA DORCAS. I would also like to thank the management of
Mission Trust Solutions Limited for allowing me to work and learn in their organizations. I
gained invaluable knowledge grew immensely as an individual, learnt how to behave around
different kinds of people and to work under pressure.
Approval:

Signature (Agency Supervisor): Date: 30th November

2021

Signature (Academic supervisor): Date

Chapter one: Introduction

The internship report was made after having internship with Mission Trust Solutions Limited
particularly in the Finance Department from 6th September 2021 to 17th December 2021.

This chapter of the internship report contains the following that is the background of the
organization; location, mission of the organisation and activities carried out by the
organization.

1.1 Overview of the Organisation/ Organisation Profile:

Background of the organisation:

Mission Trust Solutions Limited was established in 2015. The business deals in Stationary,
Text books, printing text and images onto paper, metal, glass and some apparel. They do
binding, banners, posters and tear drops.

Mission:

To become essential to our customers by providing differentiated products and services to

help them achieve their aspirations.

Objectives of the Internship:

 Gain early understanding and appreciation of the practical life real-life situation
challenges associated of the theoretical knowledge acquired.
 To develop and acquire critical skills needed to proactively observe and analyse
problems/ challenges encountered while executing career duties and responsibilities at
work.
 To get student knowledge about performing specific tasks and develop problem
identification and problem solving skills in finance management and accounting.
 To develop expected professional self-awareness, internalization of career job
requirements and experience.
Scope of internship:

Content Scope;

The internship was aimed at providing us students with necessary knowledge and
skills in the department of Finance and Accounting.

Duration Scope;

As an internee, I was given and allocated time to practice accounting and finance
concepts as well as transferring theoretical work to practical work. This includes; writing
invoices, writing receipts, client’s brief and writing monthly financial reports. This was done
between 6th September 2021 and 17th December 2021.

Geographical Scope;

The organisation is located along Nasser road, Mirembe Arcade, Kampala District
near Nakasero Trading Centre. P.O Box 1505, Kampala Uganda.
1.2 INTERNSHIP PROBLEM:

The internship problem is Poor Records Management. I discovered that Mission Trust
Solutions Limited is independently owned and operates as a profit seeking enterprise that
employs very few people working in a single location. The business doesn’t practice quality
record keeping, yet this is the basis for relevant and reliable financial information in any
business. Thus unless Mission Trust Solutions Limited institutes record keeping as its cultural
practice, the quality of financial statements and performance will never be realized. The
business is not performing well as far as profit realization is concerned, factors threatening
their existence with growth rate declining over the past periods. The poor performance is
caused by the poor records management. If Mission Trust Solutions Limited realizes the
importance of maintaining good record keeping, this will improve on the performance of the
business.

1.3 Relationship between internship problem and course of study;

The relationship between Poor Records Management and business is that financial
performance and position of a business can be accessed based on quality financial reporting
which is as a result of proper record keeping and management. However many businesses do
not focus on keeping books of accounts as a tool for good financial performance but only as
an assessment for future profit impediment. Many businesses fail because managers do not
keep records and could not make timely and important management decisions. Therefore,
without quality record keeping, the firm’s competitiveness can be jeopardized. USAID
(1996) affirms that weaknesses in improving the quality of record keeping impede the
business’s financial performance. Keeping quality records is therefore critical in survival or
failure of the business.

Small Scale Businesses in Uganda do not keep accurate and up-to-date financial
records, they also do not keep the basic cash book and are thus contented with mental records
about their costs, revenues and debts, and this has made many to fail.
Chapter two: Description of internship

2.1 Description of internship activities:

Assisted and contributed to the team. This is through trying to learn how a company
works and simply help out on different roles. After my days of learning the ins and outs of
the business, I started to assist and contribute to the team.

I performed clerical duties through creating power point presentations, drafting

reports, designing creatives and researching trends.

I managed social media and emails through managing the company’s social media
accounts, writing emails to customers, talking to clients on phone and other related duties. I
also created general strategies for posts.

I trained on completing invoices and receipts for different orders made of stationery
and services offered.

I learnt how to install and use printers in the office. In any case of a failure of a
printer, after this experience, I can trouble shoot one.

I controlled customers coming in and out of the office due to the COVID-19
pandemic and the rampant spread.

I helped different customers with typing, writing application letters, resumes and
Curriculum Vitae. This has helped me to put my theoretical communication skills into
practice.

I checked the overview of the invoices and receipts that were written by the cashier of
the customer to check for any misrepresentations.

I checked on the cashier’s written invoices and compared it with the day’s sales in
order to see if the records were properly and correctly kept.

I wrote down the normal bills of customers’ demands that is the stationery not
available and it is on demand.

I informed the cashier on the number of creditors.

I oversee internal company communications, including internal communications.

 2.2 Methodology used to address the internship problem

This report has been prepared on the basis of experience gathered during my period of
internship and my own learn and understanding. The entire process has been made by
collecting primary data which played a vital role and easy to write down the internship
problem and secondary data was also used. Below is the methodology used:

Primary data sources:

This is through inspection in different desks, talking with fellow employees in the
office and organized and planned analysis.

Secondary data sources:

Through observation of the employee in charge of keeping records in order to know

the root cause of the poor record keeping.

Through extensive check of existing financial documents to check for any

misrepresentations.

2.3 Solutions to problems:

 Capacity building through recruitment of qualified records staff and conducting of in-
house training.
 Through sensitizing management staff on records management practices through
workshops and seminars.
 Through foreseeing the development and implementation of a records management
policy.
 Through advocacy of records management function as a major goal to quality to
quality service provision.
 Through motivating staff by giving promotions, providing pay rise, recognition and
tokens of appreciations.
 Employing staff with the right profession and qualified personnel.
 Acquisition of lockable cabinets to store records for security purposes.
 Through developing a records management policy.
2.4 Lessons learnt (skills, experiences and other competencies)

 I have mastered how to use ERP software for accounts operations of maintaining
supplier reconciliation.
 I have gained knowledge on how accounts operations are carried out in a profit
making company.
 I have also gained knowledge on the acceptable dressing code in an office
environment in order to be presentable and not offend fellow employees plus the
customers.
 Relationship-wise, I have gained interpersonal skills that have enhanced the
completion of my practicum.
 In all the tasks I performed upon completion of activities, I had to report on the final
output hence availing me with a platform of developing my reporting skills.
 I learnt how to accurately take ethical decisions.
 I learnt computer skills on Microsoft packages of excel, word, internet skills the
operations of the different applications within Microsoft ERP.
 I learnt how to operate office machines like photocopying machines and scanners.
 I learnt how to classify the fellow employee’s invoices into the cashier.
 I have learnt how to confirm and write invoices and receipts for different orders of
products and services.
 I have learnt how to assign price on new stationery according to the new demand.
 I have learnt analytical skills that will help me to identify and solve complex
problems. Analytical skills include critical thinking, data analysis, research and
communication.

2.5 Limitations of the Internship

 Lack of enough working space in most departments which hinders employees in

performing well certain activities.
 Competition among neighbouring offices selling the same stationery and providing
the same services.
 Fraud committed by untrustworthy employees like recording wrong figures
intentionally hence poor records management.
 I encountered constant challenging circumstances mainly during data entry; there was
no standard format of entering transaction vouchers.
 There was always network failure which resulted in pending of my assignments and
client’s work.
 Limited time since I was given only three days per week, and sometimes told to leave
work in order to limit the number of employees in the office due to Covid-19 Sops.
 Inadequate or no compensation which demotivated me since there was no sign of
appreciation for the work done.
 Allotment of trivial work where I was often offered just assisting jobs to my seniors
and mentors.
Chapter three: Conclusions and recommendation

3.1 Reflection on internship:

This internship has been such a growing experience for me. I have learned the value
in both transactional experiences alongside relational experiences. With empathetic,
compassionate and supportive mentors, I have achieved my goal of completing my
Bachelor’s program for my degree in Business and Administration. Because of the lessons I
have learnt from fellow employees and my supervisor, I am confident that I will continue to
grow and develop professionally in my personal endeavours.

3.2 Conclusions:

In all the internship practicum I conducted at Mission Trust Solutions Limited, it

availed me with the tools, people, processes with which I was able to practically understand
the link between what I learned in school within the scope of Accounting and finance
specifically in areas of book keeping, stock control policies relating to inspection of
stationery, making invoices and maintenance of ethical code of conduct while executing the
different task and while with emphasis on how to relate with other employees in an
organisation. My goals as an internee are to obtain skills that will transfer to my future entry
level position, as well as to work on projects and be able to explain them well enough that the
experience will be considered valid and valuable by another potential hiring firm.

Am grateful to my academic supervisor and agency supervisor for guiding me and

making my internship journey easy compared to my previous fear of doing internship.

3.3 Recommendations:

 I recommend digitalization of records which good to store records permanently and at

least a duplicate is left behind for its users for example the business owner or an
auditor.
 The habit of eating and drinking inside and especially in places in where the records
are stored should be prohibited to ensure that biological factors of deterioration of the
records are controlled.
 When also considering the conditions of shelves, it may be a good suggestion to
renovate and repair especially the mobile shelves where some of the locks and rollers
are no longer functioning.
 Records must be stored in such a way that they are accessible and safeguarded against
environmental damage. The files should be stored with specialized environmental
controls including temperature and humidity.