Internship Report
Internship Report
Internship Report
0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
My first gratitude goes to the GOD in heaven, who has bestowed on me all the GRACE and the strength, and has given me the opportunity to undertake my attachment in the operations department of Womens World Banking Ghana (WWBG). My thanks also goes to the operations manager, Mrs. Ernestina Kumi-my supervisor, for given me the chance to have my attachment been done in her department. I would also like to express my gratitude to the customer liaison officer (CLO), Mrs. Esther Odonkor, Accounts Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Buabeng and Mrs. Benedicta Dodd, Ashaiman Virtual Banking Supervisor. Not forgetting, Mr. George Fynn, the training manager who took the interns through an induction and training. Lastly, my thanks goes to the authorities of the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS)-Legon who helped me by issuing the institutions letter to the organization on my behalf.
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I applied communication skills thought in school to address customer issues. The internship exposed me to job experience where I learnt a lot of things such as the concept of Vouchers and expenses code. I also faced a lot of challenges in the course of the academic internship programme.
3.0 INTRODUCTION
3.1 Background Of Report As part of the requirement of Institute Of Professional Studies-legon curriculum, students reading both Degree and Tertiary Diploma programmes are supposed to undertake an industrial attachment at least once in the long vacation. This is to enable students have practical knowledge of what was been taught in school. Due to these benefits, I decided to do my industrial attachment at Womens World Banking Ghana-WWBG which started from 3.2 Terms Of Reference According to IPS students handbook 2010 : chapter two, page 115, says that students should be exposed to industrial attachment ( internship) for eight(8) weeks to enable them get the first hand on the job experience which should enable the students to apply the concepts and the theories learnt. The students should be put under supervisors at the various workplaces, and also be supervised by the staff of the Institute. At the end of the internship period, students should write report on their activities. 3.3 Purpose Of Attachment/Expected Output As I undertook my recommended industrial attachment at WWBG operations department in Tema community one near market, my expected output was to be able:
1. To relate the theories in administration thought in school to practical office administrative
works. For example, to know how to file the companys documents such as vouchers.
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2. To know the types of software used by the organization and how they are used. 3. To learn more about Microsoft office, especially Microsoft excels, and how the organization uses it to carry out its banking activities. 3.4 Profile Of Organization 3.4.1 Background Of Organization WWBG was established in Ghana in 1993 but became fully operational in 1998. WWBG is headquartered in the nations capital. WWBG has seven (7) branches in Ghanas Golden Triangle as follows: Greater Accra region- Circle, Derby Avenue, kaneshie, Madina, Tema; Western Region- Takoradi; and Ashanti Region- Kumasi. The total estimated value of its project is US 1.16million. WWBG is an affiliate of the Womens World Banking global organization that has a network of microfinance institutions and banks that work to help low-income entrepreneurs around the world. 3.4.2 Mission WWBGS mission is to meet the financial services needs of women and other entrepreneurs in the micro/small business sector, ensure a good work environment that recognizes the value of its employees. 3.4.3 Objective The main objective of WWBG is to provide excellent return on investment for Womens World Banking Ghana shareholders. 3.4.4 Products/Goods The products of WWBG are loan and deposits. The loans are micro individual loan, micro finance institution loan, micro group loan, salary loan and staff loan. The micro individual loan is for
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entrepreneurs operating small and micro enterprises within WWBGS area of operation. The micro finance institution or credit union should have been in business for not less than 1000 clients. The micro group loan is given to group of people. The salary loan is for employees of government institutions, the public service, private sector, or any other recognized institution in Ghana. The staff loan is for employees of WWBG. The deposits are savings/susu account and current account. A WWBG susu/normal savings account enables clients to deposits contributions in anticipation of a working capital loan facility. It is designed for salaried workers, traders, artisans and others. The WWBG personal current account is an account targeted at business oriented individuals, institutions, and organizations that conduct numerous banking transactions. It allows clients to save in a secure environment and employees among others. 3.4.5 Services The WWBG services are Branch Network, Virtual Banking and Inward Remittance. Under Branch Network, WWBG operates from seven (7) branch offices with four (4) located in Accra and one (1) each in Tema, Takoradi and Kumasi. Through its branches, WWBG has been accepting deposits from the public and granting advances to its customers. Under Virtual Banking, WWBG aimed at providing financial services to the rural and urban communities in Ghana. As its name suggests, the Virtual Banking service provides financial services outside WWBGS traditional bank branches, especially to clients in the extremely low areas, who have limited or no access to banking services such as savings, loans and other financial service products. Under Inward Remittance, there are Western Union Inward Remittance Service and Vigo Inward Remittance Service. From November 2008, the international money transfer service- Western had been available from all WWBGS seven branches. From October 2010, the Vigo money transfer service had been available from all WWBGS seven branches.
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savings withdrawal book, the intern would give the customer counter savings withdrawal slip at a cost of GH 0.50. The intern then passes a voucher by debiting the sundry income account. That is: DR savings account-0062030014516 and CR sundry income account- 404004. Also, if a customer applies for ATM card, the intern would pass a transfer voucher by debiting the customers savings account and crediting sale of ATM cards. That is: DR savings account-0062030012516 and CR sale of ATM cards- 406001. After passing the vouchers, the intern then records the details into their books such as recording the counter savings withdrawal slips in the counter book. Furthermore, the intern promoted the sale of ATM cards and savings- link insurance policy in the banking hall. The month of June was a month of ATM cards. A WWBG objective was to give 4000 accounts to customers, give all new customers ATM cards. WWBG ATM cards work on etransact platform, works on any UBA, Zenith bank, Intercontinental bank and Almal bank, linked to deposits( savings and current) account, etc. When a customer walks into the banking hall, the intern would welcome the customer. The intern would then help the customer to open an account. In the process, the intern takes the details of the customer (branch code, account number, full name, address, mobile number, company and e-mail address). The intern then sends the details of the customer to the customer service officer to be sent to the IT personnel for processing. The month of July was a month of savings- linked insurance product. All individual WWBG ordinary savings account holders that save and maintain a balance of GH100.00 are eligible for life insurance and interest. Examples: monthly balance of GH100.00-GH199.99 (depositor deathGH300benefit), monthly balance ofGH200-GH499.99 (if depositor registers any family members- depositor death or permanent disability, 2*monthly balance; registered spouse death, 1* monthly balance; registered child death, 0.5*monthly balance). 4.2 Contribution Of Student To Organization
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The intern contributions to the organization (WWBG) are as follows: Firstly, the intern contributed by making sure that the organizations payment vouchers are filled accurately and kept safely in its cabinet. Besides, the intern contributed by ensuring that the market storm was organized to promote the products of WWBG. The venue, chairs, tables and canopies for the market storm was done by the intern. Moreover, the intern contributed by making sure that the organizations account enquiry form are prepared (this is a new thing done at Ashaiman Branch by the intern). 4.3 Applications Of Theories To Real Life Situation The theories i applied in the course of my internship at WWBG Tema are: 1. Communication skills- Thus how to talk to my colleagues in the office and how to communicate to customers, since communication is the lifeblood of every organization. The intern mostly shows more communication skills when the customer liaison officer (CLO) is not around and when promoting the sale of ATM cards and savings-link micro insurance in the banking hall. 2. Upward communication channel- The intern reports difficult issues to leaders whenever there is a problem. The intern does this by following the organizational chart. When there is problem, the intern goes to the supervisor, then she reports to the Operations manager, whereby she then reports to the Branch manager, thus if the supervisor and the operations manager are not able to solve the problem.
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As the intern undertook the attachment programme- Tema, he acquired a lot of knowledge and here are few of them: 1. The intern has learnt about call over. Call over is the process of cross-checking the cash register with the vouchers. 2. The intern has learnt about expenses code. Expenses code is used to debit the expenses. Examples of the expenses code are: Local Travel- 503101, Fuel-503802, Electricity-503801, and Stationery-503002. 3. The intern has learnt how to calculate the benefit of savings-link micro insurance. 4. The intern has also learnt about the product ID of the deposit products. For example: Savings account-SSACC, Current account-SACUR, Group account-SOBAC 5. Knowledge of how vouchers look like and how they are passed or prepared. 6. Knowledge of how informations pertaining to customers is keyed into WWBG designed database. 7. The intern has also learnt how to use the photocopier machine.
6.0 CHALLENGES
First and foremost, the challenge the intern was confronted with during the internship in WWBGTema was the difficult in the use of the companys software- Bankers Realm (BR) version 4.0 to work for the first three weeks. This is because it was the interns first time of using Bankers Realm to work the normal things he knows academically. Examples: preparing vouchers, writing up account and among others.
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Besides, the use of photocopier machine was also a challenge to work with for the first one week. The intern always runs photocopies of customer data to open the account. Furthermore, there is limited access of computers to work with. For instance, at the Ashaiman branch, there were only two computers, which even break down frequently. This challenge causes a delay in the entry of customers data to open account and vouchers preparation.
7.0 CONCLUSION
The industrial attachment done for the short period as required by the Institute has helped the intern to gain job experience; and also how to apply the concepts and theories learnt in school. This exclusive programme has added more value to the intern and has also offered a great opportunity in the business environment.
8.0 RECOMMENDATION
Firstly, the school (IPS) should be able to assist students in finding an attachment position. At least 75% of the attachment position should be done by the school. This would boost the morale of the incoming students to learn effectively and efficiently. Secondary, the company (WWBG) should employ professional computer literates (networkers) who would solve the problem of networking as well as buying more computers for the Ashaiman Branch.
9.0 REFERENCES
1. Profile of the organization: Annual report 2007 WWBG. 2. The use of vouchers for proofing financial transactions and call over: Document from the Accounts department.
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3. WWBG signature card, Know Your Customer (KYC) and personal/joint opening form: Store department. 4. Savings-link micro insurance: WWBG Administration 5. http://WWW.WWBG.gh 6. IPS Students handbook, 2010. 7. IPS Guideline for internship report
10.0 APPENDIX 1
1.0 HOW TO PASS VOUCHERS Vouchers: Vouchers may be taken from the store room of the WWBG, any branch of Womens World Banking Ghana.
1.0 Cash-debit: The staff must use the pink voucher to debit the expense. Examples are; a) Fuel :
The staff must debit (DR) the fuel account with the code 503802 and credit (CR) the control account with the code 101038. He must write the date, amount, account number, contra, the accounts name and the branch name. He must submit the completed voucher to the operations manager to be signed. B) Local travel: The staff must debit (DR) the local travel account with the control account with the code 101038
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AMOUNT IN WORDS .
.. Authorized signature
1.2 Transfer- Debit/ Credit: The staff must use the green and white vouchers. It must be stapled together with the green voucher on top of the white voucher. The green voucher is the debit transfer while the white voucher is the credit voucher.
Examples are:
a. ATM cards: The staff must debit (DR) savings/current account and credit (CR) the sale of
ATM cards with the code 406001. The charge on the ATM card is not physical cash but a transfer from one account to another account.
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BRANCH
AMOUNT IN WORDS .
.. Authorized signature
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BRANCH
AMOUNT IN WORDS .
.. Authorized signature
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