BOTHO UNIVERSITY
INTERNSHIP REPORT
ON MY INTERNSHIP
EXPERIENCE
Company : Botswana Power Corporation
Address: Private Bag 10 Ramotswa
Sector: Public
Period of Internship: Jul 17 – November 8, 2019
Internship Tutor: Jacob Stalin
Internship Supervisor: Kago Mosenki
Student Name: Tlotlang Morgan Sethunya
Student ID Number: 1513622
Batch code: 01
Submission Date: November 8, 2019
Word Count: 5935
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, I would like to thank Botho University as a whole for giving me the
opportunity to study this course of Electrical Engineering, for without their acceptance I
would not have been able to present this report.
I would like to express my gratitude to my Internship Supervisor, Mr Kago Mosenki, for the
guidance, support and supervision during my internship in Botswana Power Corporation.
I would like to thank my Internship Tutor, Mr Jacob Stalin, for his assistance, guidance and
support during my internship.
It has been a great pleasure working as an intern at Botswana Power Corporation for the past
three months. I would like to thank all the employees for being welcoming, friendly,
encouraging, supportive and cooperative.
I would also like to mention the excellent working environment at Botswana Power
Corporation.
Finally, I would like to express my deepest sense of gratitude to my family and friends for
their support during stay a long way from home and for the inspiration they gave me to write
this report.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE INTERNSHIP
Botswana Power Corporation is a parastatal utility formed in 1970 by an act of parliament. It
is responsible for the generation, transmission and distribution of Electricity within Botswana
to areas approved by the Ministry of Minerals Resources, Green Technology and Energy
Security .In 1975 the government initiated the Rural Electrification Program which involved
connection of several villages. The program continued for many years to aid Electricity
Botswana with the help of Danish International Development Agency.
This internship report is meant to fulfil the requirement for the evaluation process of
Internship. I was placed at Botswana Power Corporation, Ramotswa as part of my internship
for a minimum of four months, to have professional experience in a field related to my area
of study. During the four months of professional practice I have learnt a lot about operations
that take place here in Botswana Power Corporation to make sure that customer needs are
met with respect ti the mission and vision of the company.
Botswana Power Corporation, Ramotswa, is a Networking and Supply Services department
which is focused on customer needs of power supply. The department covers several villages
surrounding Ramotswa which a geographically covered by the Bamalete Land board. The
department’s main activities are attending faults, maintenance, supply services and power
distribution in the region.
The Call Centre, which is a department of Botswana Power Corporation, acts as the customer
representative for customers who are not able to to physically make it to the different
departments. The call centre retrieves complaints or faults from customers and provides them
o the different departments around Botswana.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .............................................................................................................................. 0
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE INTERNSHIP ..................................................................................... 2
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................... 4
PURPOSE ............................................................................................................................................................. 4
OBJECTIVES OF THE REPORT................................................................................................................................ 4
SCOPE ................................................................................................................................................................. 4
METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................................................. 4
COMPANY BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................ 6
BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................................................................... 6
Safety, Health and Environment Risk Policy (SHER Policy) ......................................................................... 6
SHER Policy Statement............................................................................................................................................... 6
Objectives .................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Mission, Vision and Values of Botswana Power Corporation ....................................................................... 7
ORGANIZATION CHART OF UNIT ......................................................................................................................... 8
ROLE IN THE COMPANY ...................................................................................................................................... 9
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF DEPARTMENT ............................................................................................... 9
Duties and Responsibilities ............................................................................................................................ 9
WORKFLOW ...................................................................................................................................................... 11
WORK SUPPORT RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................ 12
REFLECTION AND SELF APPRAISAL ................................................................................................... 14
APPLICATION OF THEORIES TO REAL LIFE SITUATIONS ...................................................................................... 14
PROBLEMS AND SUGGESTIONS .......................................................................................................................... 17
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES LEARNT DURING INTERNSHIP ................................................................ 18
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION ............................................................................................................................ 19
RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................................................................................. 21
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................................. 22
LIST OF REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 23
APPENDENCES .......................................................................................................................................... 24
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INTRODUCTION
Purpose
The main aim of this report is to share my experience, the knowledge and skills I have gained
and the hardships I encountered during my time at Botswana Power Corporation, Ramotswa.
The knowledge and skills I have learned are mostly as a result of the observations made
during my stay and also teaching from the Botswana Power Corporation employees. In
addition to that the report also aims to compare the real experience with the lessons learnt in
Botho University. There were several documents I also acquired some knowledge from
which were very helpful, as they further clarified what I had observed and learned in
Botswana Power Corporation and at school.
Objectives of the report
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To indicate the importance of the internship to my education.
To relate my experience in the internship to what I learnt in school.
To reflect on my performance on the internship.
To indicate the problems encountered and the solutions.
To reflect on my learning experience and the skills learnt.
To indicate my role and responsibilities on the organization.
To reflect on my strengths and weaknesses during the internship.
To suggest ways and means for improvement on my performance.
Scope
Through this report, companies such as Botswana Power Corporation and those similar to it
will be able to identify ways they can provide a great conducive working environment for
interns so as to help the company and the interns to improve and increase efficiency and
productivity. Students who have the same or similar career path and dreams of working for
such a big company could also gain ideas of operations and activities that take place in the
company. The public will also have some knowledge on the operations.
Methodology
o Framework of the report
The report has been divided into 5 specific parts. The first part is the Introduction which
includes the Purpose of the report, the scope and the methodology. The second part is the
Company Background; it includes the description of the organizational structure of my
department, duties and responsibilities of staff, the work support resources used in the
company and my role in the department. The third part of the report is the Reflection and
Appraisal which includes, the problems encountered and suggestions to overcome them, the
knowledge, skills and attitudes learnt from the internship and it also includes performance
evaluation. The fourth part of the report is the Recommendations and the last part is the
Conclusion.
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o Data Sources
For this report to be completed I had to gather information with the use of both primary and
secondary sources of data.
The primary source of data was mainly based on my experience on the field for the four
months of the internship at Botswana Power Corporation. The information was collected
through observations and through personal discussions with the employees.
The secondary source of information is based on the official website of Botswana Power
Corporation and the official documents provided at the offices.
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COMPANY BACKGROUND
Background
Botswana Power Corporation is a parastatal utility which was formed in 1970. The company
is responsible for the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity with Botswana
and is currently the only electricity supplier in the country. Botswana Power Corporation
produced an estimated 1052 GWh while the demand was estimated to be 2648 GWh. The
main power station in Botswana is the Morupule Power Station which supplies 80%
domestically generated electricity. To meet the high demand, the country is dependent on
imported energy from the neighbouring countries like South Africa. With this in my mind, a
plan to boost Morupule Power station is underway.
The Botswana Power Corporation is divided into different departments around the country to
help aid the efficiency of power supply in each region. The stores department, the main
centre for all equipment, tools and resources, is located in Gaborone and other departments
such as Distribution and Transmission Departments and Network and Supply Services
Department located in different parts of the country such as Kanye, Lobatse, Molepolole and
Ramotswa to name a few.
The main activities of the company are to distribute power around the country, carry out
maintenance of resources and equipment, and maintain a safe working environment. In qll its
activities, Botswana Power Corporates implemented and encourages a Safety, Health and
Environment Risk Policy.
Safety, Health and Environment Risk Policy (SHER Policy)
The SHER policy was first implemented on the 1st of April 2014 and later reviewed on the
31st of March 2017.It applies to all operations which Botswana Power Corporation owns, or
has full or partial control of. It applies to all employees, contractors and subcontractors
performing duties for and within the corporation premises or operations.
SHER Policy Statement
o This Policy is intended as a clear statement that the Corporation will:
o Provide all its employees with a work environment which will protect, maintain and
foster employee safety and health.
o Ensure that machines, equipment and assets are protected to ensure optimal utilization
and sustainability.
o Ensure that, each employee in accordance with his or her functions takes individual
responsibility for doing whatever is necessary to achieve SHER compliance, adopted
SHER performance standards and all applicable and relevant statutes.
o Ensure development and implementation of SHER management system based on the
management by objectives to facilitate and maintain consistent implementation of
SHER standards.
o Be committed to conduct its business operations by upholding best practices in SHER
standards.
o Promote and sustain a SHER performance driven culture.
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o The corporation commits to ensure proactive prevention of injuries, ill-health and
environmental degradation. The Corporation further commits to ensure continual
improvement on SHE performance across the board by ensuring among others
reviewing SHE objectives and targets.
o The corporation commits to ensure sustained capacity building programs to enhance
SHE skills competencies across the board.
o The corporation further commits to ensuring that SHE risk mitigation measures are
implement in accordance with best practice principles of hierarchy of control.
Objectives
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The objectives are to;
Ensure that all employees, contractors and visitors are sensitized on the potential
risks arising from Botswana Power Corporation’s activities/or operations in order
to prevent accidents and incidents which may have a detrimental impact on major
stakeholders.
Inculcate a culture of risk awareness and a systematic approach to maintain safe
systems at work.
Implement an integrated management system for environmental and occupational
safety, health and fire protection throughout the Corporation.
Ensure a uniform SHE management system and conformance with Botswana
Power Corporation set SHE standards, minimum legislative provisions and best
practice.
Develop and provide capacity building across all SHE disciplines.
Clearly define SHE structures through the SHE performance standards to ensure
accountability across board.
Ensure consistency within Botswana Power Corporation in the management of
SHE performance.
Mission, Vision and Values of Botswana Power Corporation
Mission
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To provide safe, competitive and reliable electricity services.
Vision
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A leading power distributor in the region.
Values
The company values are aimed at making sure the mission of the company is met
1. Valued Citizen
It is important for the company that the needs of all citizens are met.
2. Zero Harm
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This applies to all employees, the public and the environment. In all its operations and
activities, it is important to make sure the SHER policy is taken into consideration.
3. Service Excellence
Services provided by Botswana Power Corporation are required to be of excellency
and provided at the appropriate time and on time with quality.
4. Growth
As the vision states, the company aims to grow into the leading distributor hence
growth is valued.
5. Ethical Conduct
The company expects and encourages all employees to be in the best of manners
towards customers, the pubic and towards each other. For example, it does not
condone alcohol or use of similar substances during working hours, this would result
in expulsion from work.
Organization Chart of Unit
STDO
ELECTRICIANS
CRAFTSMAN
ASSISTANT
CRAFTSMAN
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ESTIMATOR
Role in the Company
In the four months of my internship at Botswana Power Corporation I was tasked to perform,
witness and participate in all operation and maintenance activities of the station and to take
part in all safety activities. Initially I had to study and understand the SHER policy, the need
for safety in the environment that I worked in. This was very crucial as stated in the values of
the company. With the help of my internship supervisor and co employees, I was then tasked
to understand the use of all equipment, tools and resources that are used in the station. To
understand the use of tools and equipment I was tasked with the responsibility for making
sure the tools and equipment required for a job are available. As all other employee, I had to
take part in daily meetings, SHE monthly meetings and general monthly meetings. After
understanding the use of tools, equipment and resources and the safety policies I was tasked
to assist the electricians, estimator and craftsman on rotational basis.
Organizational Structure of Department
The Botswana Power Corporation Networking and Supply Services in Ramotswa has a
number of 18 staff members, with an exception of labours, all working together towards one
common mission. The whole department is guided and led by the Senior Technical
Department Officer.
Duties and Responsibilities
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Senior Technical Department Officer
This is the manager of the whole Networking and Supply Services department. He is the link
between the top level management, the CEOs and other executive officers of the company.
Concerns about the department are communicated to him. He is tasked with making sure that
operational and maintenance activities are completed. The Senior Technical Department
Officer is responsible for all official documents and requests by the staff and all concerns in
between the staff. His other role is decision making and leading the department including in
meetings.
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Electricians
They are the second in command in the department and report all concerns to the Senior
Technical Department Officer. In the absence of the Senior Technical Department Officer, all
concerns of the department are communicated to them. They are the senior authorised staff
responsible for activities that happen in the substation and also responsible for leading
switching programmes and providing permit to work which assures all conditions to carry out
maintenance or operations are met.
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Estimator
He is responsible for finding out the measurements and requirements in response ti the need
to supply a new customer with electricity. The estimator is also responsible for requesting
way leaves, which is a document from the land board granting permission for operations to
take place in a specific location.
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Craftsman
He is responsible for the maintenance of electrical lines, transformers and all other resources
of the department. The craftsman like the electrician is responsible for issuing permit to work.
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Assistant Craftsman
He or she works hand in hand with the craftsman, making sure that all necessary tools and
equipment are available for any activity that is due to take place.
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Customer Service
Responsible for customer needs, especially when the customer is new and needs electricity
supply. She communicates with the customer enquiring the customer needs and finding out
the requirements and the availability of the resources to supply a customer.
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Accounting officer
He is responsible for all finance activities in the department.
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Receptionists
They are responsible for first hand assistance to the customers and connecting the customer
and connecting the customer with the necessary staff for any given situation. They are also
responsible for receiving faults from customers either directly or through the call centre.
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Truck Driver
He is responsible for collection and transporting heavy equipment and resources from the
department to the necessary location and from the Stores department to the Networking and
Supply Services department in Ramotswa.
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Cashier
Collect payments from customers.
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Labours
They were temporarily employed to assist in manual work like digging trenches and cutting
trees.
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Workflow
CALL CENTRE
RECEPTION
CUSTOMER
SERVICE
ACCOUNTING
OFFICER
STDO
ELECTRICIANS
ESTIMATOR
CRAFTSMAN
CASHIER
DRIVER
The chart above displays the workflow in the Networking and Supply Services department in
Ramotswa.
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The Call Centre is a department of Botswana Power Corporation that receives faults from
customers through call or through the website if the customers are unable to reach the
department directly. The Call Centre is a means of connection between the customers and all
departments in Botswana. In this department, the call centre reports faults to the reception,
during working hours, and after working hours the reports may be reported to the Senior
Technical Department Officer or the Electricians.
The reception plays an important role in the workflow of the department. The reception is the
link to all staff, incoming calls and direct report go through them and they redirect them to
the necessary staff. In any case whereby the staff is not available in the office, the reception
has the resources to contact the unavailable person.
In terms of faults reported to any of the staff, the Senior Technical Department Officer and
the Electricians report back to the Call Centre to indicate the solutions to the faults the
department received. This is usually done in daily meetings to where the team discusses
activities of the previous day and of the present day. The daily meetings are mainly led by the
Senior Technical Department Officer, raising any issues of concern and discussing with the
team. The Senior Technical Department Officer as the link between departments may instruct
the driver to collect or transport the necessary equipment, tools and resources from the stores
department or other departments. The craftsman can also direct the driver to transport the
required equipment, tools and resources to where operations or maintenance would be taking
place.
In a case of a new customer that needs power supply, the reception directs the customer to the
customer service who in return finds the availability of equipment and resource and reports to
the estimator. The estimator reports to the Senior Technical Department Officer with
conclusive documentation on measurements and the required resources which will then be
sent to contractors. The accounting officer, who is responsible for all finance activities,
keeps record of all accounts of customers.
Work Support Resources
The mission of the company which is, to provide safe, competitive and reliable electricity
services, is reflected by the availability of different resources that assist in increasing the
efficiency of the operations in each department.
The availability of cars and trucks is a major factor. Each department of Botswana Power
Corporation covers different locations, the availability of transport means the staff can travel
to locations the required time with the necessary equipment for the job at hand. The
availability of large mode of transport in form of trucks means heavy equipment and
resources can be transported.
The company offers different machinery, equipment and tools of the modern day which make
work a lot easier and are time efficient. The likes of JCBs and rock drilling machines which
require less man power and are very efficient. The company provides protective equipment
which is a necessity s it ensures safety for all involved in operations.
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Having realised the excess optic fibre cables in the company that were not used, the company
decided to use the optical fibre cables for easier communication. The optical fibre cables are
used for internet connectivity and free calls in between departments. This reduces cost for the
company and as communication is necessary in carrying out activities, it improves the
efficiency of operations.
The departments also have access to computers and with the internet connectivity provided;
the staff are able to communicate through emails and also to report back to their mobile
phones hence increasing their knowledge which may result in efficiency.
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REFLECTION AND SELF APPRAISAL
Application of theories to real life situations
During my four years at Botho University I learned a lot of different subjects, principles and
traits, mainly Botho Graduate Profile traits, all which are meant to increase my knowledge
and skills on my course. In a space of four months in my internship I have been able to
witness and perform some of the knowledge, skills and traits that I have learnt in Botho
University.
Time Management
The act of planning the amount of time you spend on specific activities, especially to increase
effectiveness, efficiency and productivity.
During the daily meetings, activities for the day were discussed and planned for. The team
take part in discussion reviewing activities to find the important activities and requirements
such as time to understand how much of it will be required to carry out a certain activity. In a
case where an activity does not require the whole team, a schedule is made listing all
activities. The importance of a schedule is that a lot of activities can be completed thus
increasing productivity.
Reflective learning
AS time management, reflective learning is an important subject that I learnt under a module
called communication and study skills. Reflection is an important process we carry out every
day as people. The importance of this is that we get a broad view of activities done and to
check if nothing is missed. It also helps with clarity and understanding of lessons.
At the Networking and Supply Services department, this was a daily activity done during
meetings. The team would discuss activities of the previous days to find out if they were
accomplished and if not what solutions or steps are taken. The daily reflection and learning
during meetings helped me realise that it is important to do this as an individual also. I was
able to indicate in my log book the lessons I learnt daily and weekly, and note how I could
improve individually and for the team.
Electrical and Electronic devices
This is a lesson I learnt in Electrical Circuit Analysis module in my 5th semester, according to
what I have learnt, electrical devices work with high voltage and electronic devices work
with low voltage and current. During my internship I was able to identify such devices. From
my observations, during electrical connection tests, I found out that electronic devices are
tested using direct current and electrical devices are tested using alternating current.
From this lesson I was able to learn about capacitors, a passive electronic device that stores
energy in the form of electrostatic field. I was able to witness a case in which a capacitor is
used and I questioned the use. In some electric meters a capacitor is used in case there is over
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current which may be caused by lightning, the capacitor stores the energy avoiding to damage
to the meter.
Decision Making
This is the process in which managers identify and resolve problems and capitalize on
opportunities. I learnt this lesson in a module called Introduction to Engineering. The
decision making process involves seven steps which are:
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Identifying opportunities and diagnosing problems.
Identifying objectives.
Generating alternatives.
Evaluating alternatives.
Reaching decisions.
Choosing implementation strategies.
Monitoring and evaluating.
This was done as an act of time management, solving issues between employees and also
during SHE meetings to make sure that the SHEr policy is followed.
Policy
This is a topic under Policy formation and processes which is a subject of Introduction to
engineering module. A policy is a course of action that will create a desired objective in the
interest of an organization or the people in a country. There are different types of policies that
I learnt and there is one that was applied during my internship which is a Reactive policy.
This is the type of policy created in response to a concern or crisis that must be addressed.
Examples are concerns of health emergencies and environment concerns. In my internship I
found out there is such a policy which is the SHER policy.
Project management
This is the application of processes, methods, knowledge, skills and experience to achieve the
project objectives or requirements. Project management involves five processes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Project Initiation
Project Planning
Project Execution
Monitoring and Controlling
Project Closing
Unfortunately in the time I spent in Botswana Power Corporation I was only able to be part
of one process. Process initiation is the beginning of the project where the need for the
project Is justified and the goals, timeline for completion and the cost are evaluated. This was
mainly carried out by the top level management of Botswana Power Corporation. The goal
was for Botswana Power Corporation to give back to the community therefore each
department was tasked with coming up with a project.
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I took part project planning which involves reviewing project constraints that I also learnt
under project management. The constraints are:
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Scope
Cost
Quality
Customer Satisfaction
Risk
Resources
Time
After project constraints review the project was referred back to the top level management for
further review and approval hence the reason I only took part in only this process.
Single and Three phase connection and Three phase transformers
In Botho University I studied a module called Electrical Machines in which I studied a
subject about single and three phase connections and three phase transformers. I studied the
construction of the single phase, which has two wires, a conductor and a neutral wire, and the
construction of the three phase wires and a neutral wire. The single phase carries voltage up
to 415v. the single phase is mainly used in hoes and the three phase is mainly used in large
industries for heavy loads.
Transformers are used to transfer electrical energy from one circuit to another with increase
or decrease in voltage. It has two windings, the primary windings which is connected to the
supply and the secondary winding which is connected to the load. I studied the construction
and working of transformers.
During my internship I was able to identify different transformers and the parts. The
transformers I was able to identify were step down transformers, large transformers in sub
stations stepping down supply voltages of 33kV to 11kV and smaller transformers stepping
down voltages of 11kV to 400V and 230V. To supply electricity to consumers, high voltage
lines are used. An example of a low voltage line is an Auxiliary Bundle Conductor cable
which is a three phase cable. Single phase cables are mostly used to supply homes and in
some cases consumers use three phase connections in their homes for heavy loads.
Management
A subject in the Engineering Management called management discusses management, the use
of techniques and processes of getting things done with and through others. It also discusses
managers, the different types of managers and different types of management styles.
Management styles are ways in which managers relate with non-managerial employees. The
styles are often determined by personality of a manager but with experience a manager learns
to vary the management styles to suit different situations.
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Through what I have observed I was able to classify different managers and their different
styles. I was able to identify this through the way they react and act on different situations;
this was influenced by visits by managers of different departments.
Botho Graduate Profile Traits
The Botho graduate profile is a list of qualities that all Botho University graduates are
encouraged to learn, during my time in Botho University I learnt the importance of these
traits to an individual and during my internship I was also taught traits by Botswana Power
Corporation employees that are similar to the Botho graduate profile traits.
o Expert Trait
Having expertise in at least one area with a broad understanding of other disciplines. From
the start I was introduced to documents of safety and health, standard requirements in all
operations. I was encouraged to study these documents and this was helpful because it made
activities that were carried out clearer and it also helped me question and interview the staff
on the use of equipments and tools and on the operations that we carried out.
o Hard work
This is a common trait that is necessary for one to be successful in school and in their careers.
It requires one to be motivated, result driven and committed to producing work of the highest
quality as an individual and in a team. I am proud that during the internship I was never late
and in every task that was carried out I made sure, as the person responsible for tools and
equipment that all tools and equipment required were available.
o Articulate
The ability to communicate information eloquently, effectively and appropriately to a given
audience. In my first two weeks at Botswana Power Corporation I studied the staff on how
they present their ideas and issues during meetings, especially those of the managers. I
learned a lot from them and I was often encouraged to share my ideas during the meetings
and in all operations.
o Critical thinking
Having the curiosity and open mindedness to acquire new knowledge by analysing, reflecting
on and evaluating information. To understand some of the operations I always had to ask
when I did not understand. As I tis required in the log book to state reflections of the week, I
learnt the importance to reflect on my performance. This helped me understand and evaluate
where I need to improve and it helped me acquire more knowledge on all activities taking
place in the department.
Problems and Suggestions
The tasks I was assigned were mostly to educate me on all operations, the necessary
equipment and tools required for each operation. The tasks were assigned to me so I could
understand reasons behind the use of specific equipment, tools and resources. I was assigned
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to assist the electricians, estimator and craftsman, this way I was able to learn the activities
they were carrying out and in cases in which other employees were not available I would
carry out their tasks with the assistance and guidance of the available employee.
Electricians are mainly tasked with testing and switching of electrical connections at the sub
stations and for customers. During testing for customers, I would be tasked with switching
pole main circuit breakers, carrying out tests on continuity and testing for supply and load
voltages.
As craftsman carry out maintenance activities, I would assist them by providing them with
the required tools and equipment. I would also assist in activities that required man power.
During connections for customers I was given opportunities to take part in the activities.
In all operations that I took part in, I encountered a few problems. One of the problems was
forgetting and leaving the necessary protective clothing such as rubber gloves. This was
usually because activities that would be planned certain equipment would not be required but
reports from the call centre or reception would indicate that there is a fault in the location we
are in. this would mean I would not take part in the activities. To overcome this problem,
every morning I gathered all necessary protective clothing and placed them in my seat, this
became a norm and it was almost impossible to forget as I would notice the difference.
One other challenge I faced was a different lifestyle of waking up early and working for long
hours daily and sometimes working overtime. This was all new to me but I was able to adapt
and come up with ideas to meet the demands such as sleeping early to avoid sleeping at work
and in cases where I could not get enough sleep I would take power naps during lunch hours.
Another problem I encountered was not having the time to study the documents that were
provided because operations required the presence of all staff. To solve this I took advantage
to study during lunch hours and I also captured images of documents so I could study them
while at home.
One other problem that I encountered was financial difficulties including food and
transportation. This is a problem that everyone encounters at one point in their lives and it
can cause stress and worry. However, it was important for me to keep going as this internship
is a very important learning curve in my education. To solve this I reduced costs of transport
by waking up earlier so I could travel be feet and I started budgeting to avoid unnecessary
spending.
The challenges I encountered helped me gain valuable experience and real life exposure.
Knowledge, skills and attitudes learnt during internship
During my internship period at Botswana Power Corporation I learnt a lot of different
attitudes; skills and knowledge which I think will be useful in my career path and in my
everyday life.
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Attitudes
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Respect
Modesty
Sincerity
Patience
Team Work
Hard work+
Skills
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Time management
Communication
Personal and interpersonal skills
Problem solving
Knowledge
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Replacing electrical meters
Switching programmes
Safety and health purpose and requirement in different environments
Performance Evaluation
As an intern for the past 4 months, I have learned the need to reflect and evaluate one’s
performance. Reflecting on my experience and skills helped me realise my strengths and
weaknesses during my internship and their impact on outcomes of the activities that I carried
out which were instrumental in helping me identify development needs.
One great weakness I had during the internship was the inability to meet the demands of
manual work such as digging trenches and cutting trees. This was sometimes influenced by
the unhealthy food I often consumed but mostly it was lack of physical strength caused by
lack of participation in physical activities like sports. The inability to meet the demands
meant that I let the team down, doing less than other members and affecting productivity and
effectiveness.
I also had a weakness of not focusing in meetings in which discussion were made about our
overall performance. The lack of focus meant I would not participate in some meetings there
being non-functional.
During my first few weeks I had a fear of communicating with the staff as I felt anything I
said would not be regarded as important or. This was a great weakness because in some cases
I would notice something that is not ordinary and instead I would keep it to myself and most
times it would be the same thing that causes confusion resulting in poor performance in the
team. Fortunately, the team realised this and encouraged me to talk freely and this improved
my communication skills.
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One of the main strengths I had during my internship was dedication and commitment. I
made sure that I always arrived on time and made sure that every task that I was handed I
completed. The other strength I had in relation to dedication and commitment was time
efficiency. The tasks that I was assigned I completed in the required time but not side-lining
the quality. This helped the team work more efficiently and made me realise the need to be
committed and dedicated to the tasks assigned.
Another strength that I have is that I am a fast learner and I am very eager to learn. Even
though the need to learn more requires a lot of questions, it did not slow the team down but
instead it improved the performance because I was familiar with operations and whatever that
was need ii would make available before I was requested to present it.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
The report helped me realise and understand my areas of concern that require improvement in
order to improve my performance. To improve my performance in the tasks I was assigned, I
have come up with some suggestions. It is important that:



Management and employees carry out assessment of interns on the jobs assigned so as
to understand my abilities in what I have learnt.
To research and interview the staff more often based on my research can be carried
out in the office.
To work harder with more commitment and confidence on the tasks assigned.
If I was given the opportunity to do my internship programme again at Botswana Power
Corporation I would:




Be more involved in office work such as meetings.
Ask more questions about operations and all activities that take place in the company.
Be more vigilant.
Request to participate more on activities.
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CONCLUSION
The internship programme has been full of achievements and realisation of weaknesses that
need to be addressed, it also made me realise the opportunities that are available in my career
path. I have been able to have in-depth knowledge about operations that take place in real life
situations in my career. The internship programme has prepared me to serve the needs of the
industry, the ideas I had did not match the experience I have gained. The internship
programme has given me the knowledge, skills and tools to be able to complete my report.
With this report I have been able to share my experience, the knowledge and skills I have
gained along with the problem are encountered in my internship. I was able to relate subjects,
principles and traits that I leant in Botho University to my internship programme. Reflection
on my learning experience and performance has given me the valuable insights as to where
improvements are necessary.
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LIST OF REFERENCES
BothoUniversity. (2019). Botho Graduate Profile(BGP) Internship Handbook. In BothoUniversity,
Botho Graduate Profile(BGP) Internship Handbook (p. 4). Botho University.
BotswnaPowerCorporation. (2015). Company Background. Retrieved November 2, 2019, from BPC:
http://www.bpc.bw/about-bpc
BPC. (2015). SHER policy. Retrieved November 2, 2019, from BPC: https://www.bpc.bw/servicessite/PublishingImages/about-bpc/environment/sustainability/BPC%20SHER%20policy.pdf
BPC.
(2015). Vision and Mission. Retrieved November
https://www.bpc.bw/about-bpc/vision-and-mission
2,
2019,
from
BPC:
Wikipedia. (2019, September). Botswana Power Corporation. Retrieved November 2, 2019, from
Wkipedia: http://www.en.wikipedia/wki/Botswana_Power_Corporation
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APPENDENCES
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Weekly Log Report
Student Evaluation of BGP Internship Experience
BGP Internship Supervisor Information Sheet
BGP Internship Work Plan
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