BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES
INDUSTRIAL ATTACHMENT GUIDELINE
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Rationale
Bindura University of Science Education holds the conviction that comprehensive training is provided when sound theoretical knowledge is combined with acquisition of practical skills.
There is need for students to have “hands-on” experience in order to appreciate the theory acquired at the University so that in the end we have a graduate who ‘hits the ground running’ rather than becoming stuck the time they leave University.
To achieve this, we believe there is need for partnerships with the Corporate world, Industry,
Government Institutions, Non-Governmental Organisations etc by allowing students to be attached to these during their period of training so that they gain work experience.
Aim of Industrial Attachment
The aim of the industrial attachment is to provide students with opportunity to observe the management operations in a typical business organisation; private sector, public sector or non-government organizations (NGOs) and to experience the work life in these sectors.
Objectives of Industrial Attachment
Upon completion of the course, students should be able to: o acquire basic understanding of the goals, structures, functions and operations of an organization in a non-government, private or public sector; o identify the professional skills required in managing such an organization; o apply some of the concepts and skills learnt at University in a real work setting; o demonstrate attitudes and personal values in accordance with the requirements of working in the sector; and identify own strengths and weaknesses with regard to employment in the sector; o allow students to appreciate Zimbabwe’s main industrial sectors and their interdependence; o assist the University remain compatible/relevant to the needs of Commerce and Industry and thus promoting good relationship between the University and the Corporate World; o provide employers the opportunity to assess students for possible future employment.
Duration of Industrial Attachment
Normally the duration of industrial attachment shall be one academic year.
Industrial Attachment Guidelines
4.1
Guidelines for Students
4.1.1 The student is subject to the University regulations and the organization’s regulations during the industrial attachment.
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4.1.2 The student is expected to:
(i)
Conform with the organization’s regulations and discipline;
(ii)
Fulfil the supervisors/mentor’s instruction concerning the training process and carrying out of the Industrial Attachment project;
(iii) Submit a report after finishing the training in a given department or unit;
(iv) Take part in Industrial Attachment only with educational purpose in mind according to the ultimate instructions of the supervisor/mentor;
(v) Put his/her best efforts to acquire extensive knowledge and skills in order to achieve he required standard of training;
(vi) Keep good relations with all the staff of the organization;
(vii) Promote the good name of Bindura University of Science Education.
4.1.3
The choice of an organization for attachment will not be based on the probable monetary benefits that the students may gain.
4.1.4
The student must always bear in mind that his/her conduct during the attachment period will reflect not only on him/her but also on the University and that it may also affect considerably the future attachment placements and the relationship between the
University and the organization.
4.1.5
Normally, students shall not receive any extra financial support from the University during their attachment.
4.2 Guidelines for Organisation on Treatment of the Students During Attachment
4.2.1 The student will be subject to the organization’s regulations and is expected to function like a full time employee.
4.2.2 The organization is requested to provide the student with every opportunity to function like a full time employee and permit him/her to actively participate in all aspects of the business including management and administration except where confidentiality constraints may not permit his/her participation.
4.2.3 Wherever possible, the company is requested to assist the student by providing welfare measures such as accommodation, access to canteen facilities, etc.
4.2.4 If an organization wishes to pay the student an allowance, the arrangement is only between the two parties, that is, the student and the organization involved.
Expectations/Responsibilities of the different parties
5.1 The Student
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Complete the student orientation form within two weeks of placement
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In liaison with the industrial mentor, draw up an outline programme of activities
(work and training) to be undertaken during the placement period.
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In consultation with the industrial mentor, to write factual quarterly reports about the attachment as per guidelines given and highlighting progress made and problems encountered. The last of these reports to be all encompassing.
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To give an oral presentation the final report before it is presented for marking.
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To strictly adhere to organisational hours of business; punctuality and attendance
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Approach work diligently, show initiative and creativity and take responsibility for tasks and actions.
 Take reasonable care of own health and safety and the health and safety of other people who may be affected by the student’s actions
 Respect the confidentiality of both the placement organisation/company and that of Bindura University of Science Education
 Keep the department informed of any problems relating to the placement programme which cannot be solved at local level.
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Notify the department of any significant matters in the placement programme eg.
Relocation of the company or any emergency that may affect the smooth running of the placement programme.
 Observe the rules and conditions laid down by the placement company but also, to act within the rules and regulations governing the conduct of students of
Bindura University of Science Education. In this regard, to be an ambassador of the University.
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A student who is indisciplined at work will face disciplinary action at the university.
NOTE: The student should never make arrangements to quit or indeed quit the placement organisation without prior notification and advice from the department.
5.2 The placement institution
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Complete the student placement form as soon as the student has settled down, certainly before the first visit by the academic supervisor.
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Assign a member of the organisation to work with and act as supervisor and mentor to the student.
 To advise the student on matters and information on the institution’s regulations and code of conduct.
 To complete the student’s orientation form with in a week of the student taking up the placement and to guide, assist and assess the student throughout the placement period.
 To acknowledge sight of a copy of the student’s quarterly reports by signing the final page of each project submitted to the university as provided. Organisation may keep a copy of each report as necessary.
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To notify the university through the Assistant Registrar of any significant changes or developments in the placement programme other than those covered here that can affect the industrial attachment learning programme.
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To grant permission and facilitate the student to carry out research in the organisation.
5.3 Visits by Academic Supervisors
During the placement period, the student will be visited by academic supervisors from the university. Ideally, two visits should be made. But seeing the prevailing economic situation, one might suffice. During the visit(s), the academic supervisor will talk to both the student and the placement supervisor. The purpose of the visit is to maintain contact with the student and the organisation and to assess the performance and the progress made by the student.
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Some contact may be made electronically where necessary.
Assessment
6.1 The assessment of Industrial Attachment shall require that a Panel of Examiners from the Department determine, for each student, a coursework assessment mark, a final mark for student’s quarterly reports, and an overall mark. The Industrial Attachment mark would be based on;
(i)
The student’s industrial/organization supervisor(s) assessment reports,
(ii)
Two assessment visits made by the student’s supervisor(s) to the industry/Organization of attachment and,
(iii)
The three student’s Industrial Training environment reports submitted to the student supervisor.
The mark attained during Industrial Attachment, shall be equivalent to 6 Courses (24
Credits).
The Report
Guidelines on writing Industrial Attachment Report
The Industrial Attachment (IA) Reports are an integral part of the total attachment program and are an essential component for fulfilment of the IA requirements. The reports should be submitted to the Departmental Office quarterly with the last one submitted by 30 May .
Failure to comply with this requirement will lead to incompletion or failure of IA, hence delaying a student’s graduation status.
The student is required to write these reports during the industrial attachment. These reports should be written in consultation with the person at the placement organisation responsible for the supervision of the student. The Supervisor’s role is to check on the accuracy of the information and to screen for confidentiality and pass information for publication. Should the organisation allow confidential information to pass for publication, then the report should be marked ‘ confidential’ on the cover.
A well-organized and easily readable report is expected. The grading of the report will therefore be based primarily on the manner of presentation with some evidence of technical reporting skills. The following points are provided as general guidelines on writing a good report:
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Keep a diary to help you record information/events as they happen. This step is to ensure that the information is recorded when still fresh.
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Straightforward functional style of writing is recommended. Describe all pertinent facts, work experience, and observation without extraneous information.
Clarity and readability may be improved by ensuring that:
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Coherent ideas are grouped in separate paragraphs;
Sentences are grammatically correct;
Punctuation marks are properly placed;
Words are correctly spelt; and
The report should be typed.
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4. The report should be written under headings arranged in the following manner:
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Report Cover
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Title Page
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Table of Contents
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Executive Summary
To summarise your industrial attachment experience in not more than 100 words.
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Acknowledgements
To acknowledge training provided by the management of the company, the assistance received from other persons during training, etc.
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Main Text
The attachment program, its schedule, assignment and objectives may be described. The assignments undertaken in chronological sequence, the technical and other implementation details may also be described.
The report should capture, among other things, the following details:
1.
Description and analysis of the organisation’s in relation to its
(a) Historical Development
(b) Vision, Mission and objectives
2.
An outline of the work-placement company/organisation in terms of its operations; considering the following:
(a) The principal services and characteristics
(b) The main markets/community/audience/clients served and their characteristics
(c) Considering the application of theoretical concepts, outline the host organisation in terms of: o The industry in which the organisation operates. o The principal products or services. o The main markets or stakeholders served. o The suppliers of the main inputs. o The main sources of competition and the company’s position in the rivalry. o The impact of the changing environment, social attitudes, the economy and
Government policies upon the market served by the company, the industry to which the company belongs and the company itself. o The types of technology used.
3.
Outline the work-placement company/organisational structure, specifying the department or section in which the work experience is being undertaken.
4.
Describe and analyse the work roles, tasks and responsibilities of the work experience.
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o
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What are the organisation’s strengths and weaknesses and how are these being exploited and/or avoided?
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Identify special opportunities and threats and the means adopted for exploiting these during the period under review.
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Describe and analyse the operations of the company/organisation, examining its successes and failures as measured against the organisation’s mission and declared objectives.
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Assess the market/clients’ perception of the organisation and its operations.
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Identify and analyse any differences/discrepancies between the degree programme in terms of theory studied at college and the work practices carried out at organisation of placement.
Conclusion
Concluding remarks on the work performance, observations and attachment program.
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References
If any, references to manuals and other pertinent literature should be listed.
Submission Details
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Reports should be typed and spiral bound.
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Font 12 and 1.5 spacing
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The first three to be submitted quarterly i. e. end of respective third month.
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The fourth will be submitted on presentation day to be advised
The Research Proposal – To be ready by the 31 st of January
While out on attachment, it is hoped the student will pick a topic to research from the work-related learning experience. The student is, therefore, required to submit a research proposal for the honours dissertation. The proposal can, of course be started on after the topic has been accepted.
CONTENTS
Introduction
Objectives
Scope
Methodology and Approach
Materials
Budget
Programme Schedule
References
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The proposal may be written in 10-12-font sizes.
Typically a document of no more than 1000 words is sufficient to outline the proposed research topic and programme of research. Quality rather than quantity is the key to a good proposal. The proposal might typically comprise:
Title
This needs to be a clear and succinct description of your research.
Introduction
This should briefly explain what you propose to research, why the research is of value and how you propose to go about it.
Background
Describe current state of the art. Why is this research needed? Outline previous work in this field
(i.e. literature search). How would the results of the proposed research fill this need and be beneficial?
Objective(s)
“The objective(s) of this research project are to …..”
Literature Review
This should justify why research is necessary in the area that you propose by a thorough examination of key, recent contributions in research periodicals. Problems or gaps in the literature should be identified to lead on to the selected research question.
Research Question
This should be a precise specification of the problem or the gap in existing knowledge that your research seeks to answer.
Research Method
This should cover high level decisions on choice of methodology including details of methods of dat collection and analysis. A time schedule showing key activities is useful.
Materials
Explain the material to be used.
(a) Is all the necessary hardware/software in place?
(b) If not, how will it be acquired and how long will it take to put everything in place?
(c) Does it have any resource implication? (This must be prepared in view of the Budget below)
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Budget
(a) What is the total budget for the project?
(b) Have the funds been already acquired?
(c ) If not, where is the money coming from?
(d) How long will it delay the process?
(e) Will it impact the project work and/or are there other remedies to the problem?
Programme Schedule
Itemize the list of activities with specific dates so that you can make concerted effort to achieve them.
References
The literature cited in the proposal should be listed at the end of the document. Use an acceptable style of referencing.
Forms
You should receive the following forms which must be completed and actioned as per respective instructions
Form C/I. A. 1 Student placement form
Form C/I. A. 2 Industrial Attachment Orientation Form
Form C/I. A. 3 Industrial Attachment Assessment Form
Form C/I. A. 4 Industrial Attachment Feedback Form
Important:
This guideline should be availed to the host organisation. 1.
2. These guildelines are general in nature and can therefore differ according to programme.
Please consult with your supervisor for specifics.
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Placement
Organisation
Contact
Address
Physical
Address
Telephone
Fax
Supervisor’s
Name
Telephone
E-mail
BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES
Student Placement Form
(Complete in duplicate and submit to Faculty Assistant Registrar )
Form C/I. A. 1
A. Student
Details
Surname
Programme
Student Reg No .: …………………………..
:
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First Name
Sex
: ………………………………………………………………………………………
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National I. D. : ………………………………………………………………………………………
:
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Contact
Address
Telephone
E-mail
:
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: ………………………………………………………………………………………
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This is to confirm that the above stated student commenced work-related learning at this organisation this…………….day of ………………..200…
Signed…………………………………………..
Supervisor
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BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES
INDUSTRIAL ATTACHMENT ORIENTATION FORM
(To be completed in duplicate and forwarded to Faculty Assistant Registrar)
NAME OF STUDENT
2 REG NUMBER
…………………………………Programme…………………………….
…………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………. 3 PLACEMENT
INSTITUTION
4 COMMENCEMENT
DATE
…………………………………………………………………….
1 Introduction to key members of staff
2 Allocation of work area
TASK DATE
3 Allocation of work supervisor
4 Geography of work place
Conveniences
Resource Centres
Fire
Canteen
Health and Safety facilities
5 Code of Conduct/Work Place Regulations
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5 Dress Code
6 Other Issues (Indicate)
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Student’s Signature …………………………………………………Date ………………………..
Mentor’s Signature ……………………………………………….. Date Stamp
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Form C/I.A. 3
BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION
INDUSTRIAL ATTACHMENT ASSESSMENT FORM
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES
(For completion by Industrial Mentor)
Name:_________________________________________ Reg No: ___________________
Programme: ____________________________________ Year: _____________________
Name of Company: ______________________________ Mentor: ___________________
Tick in the scale rating against each attribute. A rating of ‘1’ means very weak, and ‘5’ represents very good.
CRITERIA RATING
FOR
UNIVERSITY
USE ONLY
1. Understanding the Host Organisation a. Core business of the organisation b. Knowledge of the requirements c. Ability to meet targets d. Organisational Structure
Total Score
2. Quality of Work a. Planning b. Skilfulness c. Thoroughness d. Accuracy e. Neatness
Total Score
3. Attitude a. Ability to work under pressure
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1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
1 2 3 4 5
[Frame1]
[Frame2] b. Communication c. Consultation d. Cooperation with seniors e. Cooperation in teamwork
Total Score
4. Motivation a. Interest in work b. Punctuality c. Initiativeness/creativity d. Decision making e. Leadership potential
Total Score
5. Logbook/Diary a. Availability/Informative/Objective
Total Score
[Frame3]
1 2 3 4 5
[Frame4]
1 2 3 4 5
[Frame5]
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6. For Items (a) to (e) below, specify and rate any additional key technical skills as applicable to the specific department to which the student is attached a. b. c. d. e.
Total Score
TOTAL SCORE (University use only)
1 2 3 4 5
[Frame6]
[Frame7]
Please provide details of deficiencies (Any specific skills lacking; objectives or targets not achieved.)
________________________________________________________________________________
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General
Comments:_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Signature of Mentor:__________________Designation_____________ Office Stamp___________
Signature of Student:__________________Date_________________________________________
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Form C/I. A. 4
BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES
Student Attachment Feedback
(To be submitted by 31 August to Faculty Assistant Registrar after completion of attachment)
Name of Student
:…………………………………………… Programme ……………………...
Reg Number
: …………………………………………... Part ……………………………...
Place of Attachment : ………………………………………………………………………………..
Supervisor’s Name :…………………………………………………………………………………
Sup’s Contact Details : Tel ……………………………………………………………………...
Address…………………………………………………………………
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1.
Job Description (Nature of duties)
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Essential basic skills required of the job
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Technical skills required of the job
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Relevance of what has been learnt so far to the work situation
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5.
If there is a gap between the job requirements and what has been learnt, what suggestions would you propose?
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6.
What would you suggest to make future attachment more rewarding to the learning process?
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7.
Any other comments
( and suggestions)
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