CERTIFICATION

This internship report, written and submitted by MACDESLEY ATEH AWA with the
matriculation number LMU-23SWE059 to the department of SOFTWARE ENGINEERING,
school of ENGINEERING at Landmark Higher Institute (LHI) Buea, in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the award of the Higher National Diploma (HND) has been read and
approved for defense.

Signature………….
Date……………

MACDESLEY ATEH AWA (Student’s name)

Signature…………. Date…………….

Mrs. CHRISTIENCIA
Date……………..
(Field Supervisor)

Signature………….. Date………….....
DR. WANYU ERNEST NYAMKOH
(Dean of Studies)

Signature………….. Date………………
 DEDICATION
I am dedicating my work to my lovely parents Mr. ERIC AWA and Mrs. CARINE AWA
who have continuously been leading me in my education and guiding my career decisions as
well as shaping me to be straight forward person I am today.
I also would like to dedicate this work to my Uncle Fortsin Evaristus for his continuous help
he gave me during the internship period.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I humbly want to acknowledge my Uncle Mr. FORTSIN EVARISTUS and my Aunt Mrs.
JULEIT NCHOSI for their guidance, corrections and directions throughout this study.
My sincere appreciation to my field supervisor Madam Christencia for her guidance,
patience and encouragement she gave me through out this working experience in my
internship days
Thank Landmark Metropolitan University for their guidance and knowledge provided
throughout this
write up.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This is a report of the activities carried out at National Investment Credit PLC (NIC plc)
Buea, a micro finance service in Buea,
South-West region of Cameroon. The internship lasted for a period of 2months (August to
September 2023) and activities carried out during this period was based on web development
and administration. The objective of the internship was to come up with a way to help
improve NIC in the domain of IT and engineering.
As one of the requirements needed to graduate with an HND (higher national diploma). This
report also contains the advantages of working in a professional organization where the
working conditions
and environment are different from the educational sector. During this period, there were
difficulties and challenges which made the work stressful but I pulled through. I also carried
out an assessment of the organization during this period and this report contains the strength,
weakness, opportunities and threats analysis of the organization. The project I worked an
automated loan web system. NIC had countless limitations in the domain of IT I managed to
make the most of my time during my internship at NIC.

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: NIC Logo

Figure 2: Application for loan web page
Figure 3: General Footer
Figure 4: Overview Payment Page
Figure 5: MTN MOMO Payment Page
Figure 6: ORANGE MONEY Payment Page
Figure 7: Pop-Up Message Page
 LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: comparison between theory and practical ................................................................16
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
• UPS- Uninterruptible Power Supply
• IT- Information Technology
• HTML- Hypertext Markup Language
• CSS- Cascading Style Sheet
• SWOT- Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threats
• HND- Higher National Diploma
• API - Application Programming Interface
 CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE : GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1. Objectives of the internship

1.2. Importance or significance of the internship

CHAPTER TWO : PRESENTATION OF THE ORGANIZATION

2.1. Historical background of the organization

2.2. Products offered by the organization
2.3. Aims and Objectives of the Organization
2.4. Organization structure

CHAPTER THREE : GENERAL ACTIVITIES CARRIED BY THE INTERN

3.1. Activities carried out by the intern

3.2. Comparison of theory and practice (Focus Area)

CHAPTER FOUR : EVALUATION OF THE INTERNSHIP

4.1. Strength of the organization

4.2. Weakness of the organization
4.3. Opportunities of the organization
4.4. Threats to the organization

CHAPTER FIVE : CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDAIONS

5.1. Conclusion
5.2. Recommendations
 CHAPTER ONE (1) : GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1. Objectives of an internship

The practical experience of the working environment is important for professional's

development. Most internship programs are designed to enable students to achieve their
following objectives. Which are;

i. Skill Development: Internships aim to enhance the technical skills of software

engineering interns. Through hands-on experience, interns can refine their programming
abilities, become proficient with relevant tools and technologies, and gain a deeper
understanding of software development practices.

ii. Industry Exposure: Internships offer a glimpse into the professional world of software
engineering. By working in a real software development environment, interns gain exposure
to industry standards, best practices, and the overall software development life cycle. They
become familiar with the work-flow, collaboration methods, and project management
approaches used in the industry.

iii. Application of Knowledge: Interns have the opportunity to apply the theoretical
concepts they learned in their academic studies to real-world projects. They work on practical
assignments, contribute to software development tasks, and gain an understanding of how
their academic knowledge translates into practical solutions.

iv. Personal and Professional Growth: Internships provide a platform for personal and
professional development. Interns can improve their problem-solving skills, enhance their
communication and teamwork abilities, learn to adapt to a professional work environment,
and develop a strong work ethic. They also gain self-confidence and a sense of achievement
through successfully completing real-world projects.

v. Professional Networking: Internships facilitate networking opportunities for software

engineers. Interns can establish connections with professionals in the field, build
relationships, and expand their professional network. These connections can be valuable for
future job prospects, mentor-ship, and references.

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 network. These connections can lead to mentor-ship, job referrals, and future
employment opportunities. This was one of the reasons I was happy to go on
internship. Being intentional is one of the virtues that I posses. I had to make
connections with senior engineers in the field. This was archived as I networked and
asked questions on how I would complete my proposed project. The knowledge and
information I received from them was priceless as they drilled me on what to do and
how to do it.
I can proudly say that this is one of the highest achievements I made during the internship
which has been helping me even till today (after the internship).

CHAPTER TWO

PRESENTATION OF THE ORGANIZATION

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2.1 Introduction

As a category two micro-finance institution, National Investment Credit Plc Buea (NIC)
aimed at contributing to the enhancement of the financial and social sustainability of its
members and non-members through the provision of reliable and quality financial and social
products. Although striving to improve the sustainability of its members, this institution
offers products and carryout other business activities to secure its financial sustainability.
This section thus provides a historical evolution and important administrative features of the
institution. This section goes further to highlight the products and services of this institution.

2.2 Historical Evolution of NIC Plc

National Investment Credit Plc (NIC), is a regulated category II micro-finance institution
(MFI) founded on the 1st of May 2017 with its head office at Limbe. NIC Plc is a micro-
finance institution created to provide sustainable investment credit facilities to small and
large scale business enterprises (entrepreneurs), at relatively low interest rates, thereby
encouraging self industrialization and financial stability. It is founded by a team of talented,
dynamic and professional experts who deemed it necessary to associate to create a pool of
finance and establish an institution within the national territory.
NIC has become the leading micro-financial institution of her kind to serve the public with
best quality services, empowering wealth creation and legacy building for the future
generation.
Our dedication to the financial industry makes us the best partner to micro-entrepreneurs. We
do not only support our customers financially but we also share with them our ever-
increasing knowledge of money, markets and finance.
The MFI has contributed immensely towards nations building especially in poverty
alleviation all thanks to its board of directors, the chairperson, members and staffs of the
institution who have made these achievements successful.

NIC Plc mother bank is Afriland which is the audit body in charge of its and this audit body
ensures that the company complies with the norms of MINFI which is in charge of
implementing financial, budgetary, fiscal and monetary policy of the government.

2.3.2 Detailed Presentation of organizational structure

Board of Directors (BOD):
The board of directors are the general overseer of the organization and has an elected board
chairperson that sees into the operational activities carried out in the organization. It equally
supervises the control done by internal controller. It also carries out an inventory of the

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institution’s materials and a review of all loan forms. Visit branches of the organization to see
how they operate. Asses company’s assets in the case of replacement. They also evaluate
activities undertaken by the organization.

The Manager:

He carries out the day-to-day running of the institution through adequate and proper planning,
organizing, directing, controlling, leading and human resource management.
He is answerable to the BOD and the board chairperson. He implements policies laid down
by the institution and ensures a judicious use of funds and proper execution of the budget, he
is in charge of smooth and proper functioning of the MFI. They make sure the organization is
not holding too much liquid assets or cash and they also carry out short term investment. The
manager prepares the end of year financial statement of the company and present it to the
BOD.

The Accountant/Operational Officer:

They are like the brains of the organization. They are also known as internal auditors.
They are in charge of all accounting records and supervision of operations. He is answerable
to the manager and supervises all clerks, collecting agents, cashiers and the treasurer or small
cashier, he reconciles the account of the MFI with other institutions like the bank, taxation
and treasury, prepare budget forecast, publish financial statements on time. He also carries
out a statistical data collection of institution which is presented to Afriland at the end of each
quarter.

The Loan Officer:

NIC has two officers in the loan’s office. They are in charge of all loans granted by the
institution. He orientates and gives financial counselling to members. He grants loans to
customers based on their ability to pay and financial character. In case of big loans, the loan
officer will require collateral which he inspects to see if the actual value of the collateral is
worth the value of the loan requested.

The Marketing Department:

They is in charge of developing and implementing marketing strategies to attract new

customers and retain existing ones. This includes developing and implementing
communication and promotional campaign through various channels, such as social media,
print and radio. They also work on building brand awareness and recognition in the
communities they serve.

The Cashier:

NIC Plc has two tellers. They issue cash receipts for all money received immediately enters it
into the customer/client’s passbook. She also issues payment vouchers (coupons), redeemed

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stamps, disburse cash. She carries out an update of clients passbook and makes sure that the
balances are the same that is, in the computer or manual cash deposits and cash withdrawal
book in case of power failure and on the passbook. She also explains to clients the reason for
any subtraction or addition of money into his or her accounts. She pays all other expenses
approved by the manager. Also, the teller carries out authorized transfer from clients savings
account to deposit account or from deposit to savings account as a case may be.

The Customer service:

The customer service is made up of secretarial and receptionist.

The secretary is responsible for opening accounts, cutting of charges, receiving incoming
calls from outside the institution and transferring them to their respective departments, record
all incoming mails by stamping them as well as channeling all out going mails to their
various destination with stamp on it, prepare notes and memos for the manager to sign,
cheque clearing, photocopy documents and prepare them for meeting by stamping them if
necessary or if need and arranging the manager’s office.
The receptionist is in charge of filling counter checks for members without check booklets,
record and sign time of entry and exit of staffs, check identity cards for members who wishes
to withdraw money from their account making sure the identity card has not expired, issue
out check booklet and sales of the institution’s article.

2.2 Products and Services of NIC Plc

NIC Plc is an advanced and well-developed micro-finance institution (MFI) in that it
performs all the activities carried out by a MFI. For example, it accepts deposit in both the
savings and deposit account depending on the clients command, safeguard deposits, give out
secured loan to its members and readily gives out deposit on demand by the customer.

2.2.1 Savings account

This account enables its members to save their money without any charges. It entails
members to deposit a minimum amount of shares into the account with an interest rate per
annum. When opening a saving account certain documents are being asked from the customer
by the bank which are;

➢ A photocopy of ID to attach to your file.

➢ A localization plan indicating where you leave from the bank.

➢ 3 passport size photographs.

2.2.2 Current account
This account enables the holders to withdraw money at any time. The bank charges on
this account is very minimal and affordable for keeping the customer’s money. There
are two types of current which are; current salary and current business account.

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1.Current salary account:

This is an account used solely by salary owners. Just like the savings account when opening a
salary account there are some requirements needed which are;

➢ 3 passport size photographs.

➢ Location plan.

➢ Photocopy of ID card.

2. Current business account:

This is an account owned and control by organization, associations, businesses and

companies. For this account to be opened or go into operation, certain documents must be
presented to the bank such as;

➢ Business license issued by the government.

➢ Certified photocopy of ID card for each signatory.

➢ Two passport size photographs.

➢ Location plan.

➢ Tax payer’s card (Business registration certificate or card).

2.2.3 Daily savings account

This is a third-party account. It is commonly known as “AKAHO”. It is provided mostly to

small traders “buyam sellam” and people who can afford to save small amount on daily basis
and withdraw at the end of the month. The MFI charges little for this service monthly on the
amount saved within the month. This empowers contributors to earn at the end of the month.

➢ It permits you to save regularly.

➢ Helps you to become a member for would-be members.

➢ Facilitates loan repayments.

Increases your chances of getting loans especially:

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Micro-loans for small business operators like bike riders, buyam-sellers, small restaurants,
petit-traders etc.
Interest rates you pay are very low and you pay at your pace.

2.3 Aim and Objective of NIC Plc

Aim:
The aim of NIC Plc is to alleviate poverty in the society by providing credit facilities to small
and large enterprises through the following services they offer to their customers.
Vision:

The vision of NIC Plc is swift expansion in meeting the demand of corporations, institutions
and the general public at large.

Mission:
The mission of NIC Plc is to provide an effective management of their products, materials
and human resources and satisfy their clients.
Objective:

The objective of NIC Plc is establishing institutions within the national territory.

2.3.1 Prospects of Development

The consistency and devoutness of the staff:

The staffs are very devoted in their various tasks and they put in their best in whatever they
are doing to get the best output.
Managerial Decision

This institution has a very good managerial decision-making. Their decisions are unbiased.
They do not look at the physical appearance of anyone or being carried by things, which do
not make sense before making decisions. They are very objective and face decision because
they are striving for the best output.

Unity of Staff

The united nature of the staff of NIC Plc is unique. They give their best in making sure that
their trainees effectively undergo quality training as professionals. Their strong unity bond
brings about confidence and assurance to all around the organization.

Discipline of Hard work

The organization is known for its punctuality and hard work which has made it what it is
today.

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 Creation of a follow-up unit

The unit is charged with after sales services and members follow-up. This to ensure that the
advice and other services delivered to clients were capable of meeting the expectations of the
company and resolve the problems of the clients.

2.4. Organization Structure

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

AUDIT COMMITEE HUMAN RESOURCE

COMMITEE

ADMINISTRATIVE
SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
ASSISTANT DEPARTMENT
SECERATARY

ECURITYYY CASHEIR ACCOUNTANTS

LOAN OFFICER

CHAPTER THREE: GENERAL ACTIVITIES CARRIED BY THE INTERN

3.1 Activities carried out by the intern

This chapter is based of all the activities I carried out at NIC PLC during the period of the
internship which in counting was 8 weeks. Generally I had a wonderful experience during my

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stay at NIC Plc, meeting new people, networking with other software engineers and building
a small yet firm reputation of my self.

i. Learning and Training: Day one was basically learning, training and orientation to
familiarize me and other interns with the organization's policies, procedures, and tools.
We learn about the company's culture, values, and expectations.
As said in the previous chapter NIC plc is for those who have been left out by the normal
banking system, giving them the opportunity to have the normal banking services, regardless
of their financial state.
i. Assisting with Projects: As interns, we work on projects and tasks assigned by the
supervisors or mentors. Assisting in various stages of a project, such as conducting
research, gathering data, analyzing information, or contributing to the development of a
solution or product was essential the focus during the internship at NIC as we were put in
real life situations that needed analytical thinking in coming up with solution to real
world problems, faced by the company and work on realizing the project to completion.
One of the major challenges during this phase of the internship was assisting in active
marketing of the company such as to build communication skills and network.

i. Shadowing Professionals: As interns we sometimes had the opportunity to experience

the position of the professionals to gain insight into their day-to-day work. This mainly
involved observing meetings, attending client interactions,which were in very few and
very rare cases, participating in team discussions to understand the practical aspects of
the job. Team discussions were a handy part of the internship program as we had to work
in accordance to the companies demands and the available resources.

i. Collaborating with Teams:As interns we work as part of a team, collaborating with other
employees and interns on projects. They may contribute their skills, ideas, and
perspectives while working alongside team members to achieve common goals. This
made the flow of work more better and a little less durable as the knowledge from other
employees and interns on the subject matter facilitated the building of projects.

i. Learning from Mentors: where else do we get knowledge of the way things should be
done but from mentors. We asked questions and they gave us hints on how to solve
certain problems making us think on it rather than just having the solution right away.

i. Documentation and Reporting:As Interns we are required to document our work, such as
writing reports, creating presentations, or maintaining project documentation. This helps
track progress, communicate findings, and provide a record of our contributions, as per
the project is concerned.

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i. Evaluation and Feedback: As interns we are typically evaluated by the supervisors on
our performance, attendance, manners, dressing code,and language usage throughout the
internship. We receive feedback on our work, highlighting areas of strength and areas for
improvement. This evaluation process helps interns gauge their progress and identify
areas of professional growth.

Aside from all this other activities we carried out were cleaning of our work space, tracking
down our attendance by signing on our entry and exit times so as to ease the evaluation from
the general manager of the company.

Week 1:
The first day of this week of internship was orientation day we learned of the meaning of
NIC (National investment Credit), the mission of NIC which is to aid the middle class people
who have been excluded from the normal banking system to continue having that experience
at a lower cost rate. The vision of NIC which is to expand that is not only in Cameroon or in
Africa but globally. Reaching out to as many people as possible so that their mission be
fulfilled.
We also had a rundown of the rules that were to be followed, some of which were;
- Nobody comes after the Manager (start time everyday is 8:00am)
- Nobody leaves the organization before 5pm
- If you must leave before 5:00pm you must notify the manager ahead of time, just to name a
few. Day one was good we interacted with each other and that created an atmosphere of
familiarity between interns, the manager, and the co-workers at NIC plc Buea. We also
disused on the activities to be carried out through out our two month internship stay at the
organization.
The next day was a surprising day for the engineers as we went out for marketing. Before that
we were taught how to approach strangers, and how to convince them to create accounts. The
essence of the activity of the day and why it included software engineers was to help build
our communication skills and boast our moral in the area of language and communication.
Project realization was also part of the activities of week one. We were asked how we could
help NIC as software engineers. That’s where I proposed the idea that since we are in a start
up organization we should build a website that will aid in the process of loan and ease those
far away from site to create and account,and this was taken into consideration and the
manager agreed to it. My schoolmate with whom we were together during the internship
proposed we added a section for the creation of accounts. All this was taken into
consideration and agreed upon by the manager.
We did some brain storming coming up with how the website will look like taking into
consideration the fact that this was mainly for applying for the loan and account creation. We
made known to the organization the resources we will need to realize the project form start to
end.
We had to agree upon what software project management technique to use. Finally we agreed
on the agile methodology considering each of our tasks will be implementing the Waterfall

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Model. Next thing on the list was to start learning the various site scripting languages to be
used. We agreed on using HTML,CSS, and Java Script so we started with HTML. We started
with learning the introduction to HTML, editors, various HTML elements, attributes,
headings, styles and formatting.

Week 2:
We continued with learning HTML forms and their attributes, form elements, input types,
input attributes, media implementation and we commenced with designing the home page,
taking into consideration how the UI (user interface) was to look like and implementing the
organizations colors to the loaning page.
Designing the page took some time there were a lot of controversies, since working with
another person was being difficult we had to apply the agile methodology as soon as possible.
We shared the work, I was to take the application of the loan page (HTML and CSS), the
creation of the payment page, the services/about and contact us page, and the main footer that
will be used along the website. I started immediately with the page. Coding was difficult as
we had no main supervisors (for the engineering department) but coming for internship in a
start up company we were prepared for that. We took references from our teacher in school
and I personally made contact and networked with a senior engineer in the field who gave the
assistance we needed whenever it became difficult, thus advising me every step of the way on
what I ought and ought not to do. So I coded the Application for Loan on this day with
HTML only parts of the loan page were the navigation bar, that took me a little time to do
since I was inexperienced with the markup language.
I finished creating the loan page so I started learning Cascaded style sheet. This was to
beautify the page and enable me add or implement the companies colors to it here by giving it
a good blend. So the main factor of the day was studying CSS I learned introduction to
CSS, CSS syntax, selectors, margin and implementing background and background picture
with CSS.
The next day (day 14) I continued with the CSS learned CSS padding, text, font, links and
linking HTML to CSS. After this I had to immediate start with the styling of the main loaning
page. Had to make it interactive and colorful with regards to the preference of the
organization.

Week 3:
I engaged in learning more of CSS to me is much more difficult to apprehend comparing to
HTML so continued learning CSS, I did some revision on the work I did on day 13 and day
14. I also learned how to create a button with HTML and style it with CSS then I created and
added the buttons to the homepage. Watched some recommended tutorial videos on how to
use CSS and link them with the loan page.
From the next day the internship was very dormant we had difficulties since there was low
voltage so we couldn’t charge our computers and the network was poor so this made research
very poor or little. We revised the work we did so far there was progress even though the
electricity was a big issue that needed addressing for the work to go on smoothly, we revised

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the various web pages styling, the footer, the navigation bar and UI of the system taking into
consideration that the system will be used by computer literate persons who have accounts in
the organization. Certainly the world of today is vastly growing in technology and as so we
need to keep up by automating more systems one way or another.
Week 4:
First day of this week we set out to build the footer that will be use across pages. I personally
did this making sure that the footer will consist of two different blacks( one consisting a
rough black look like color where the footer was allocated and in the same rough black down
a straight shiny looking glass black) that was my mind set and i was given a go ahead to
presume. So i need more knowledge on CSS to realize my vision on how the footer will look
like. After research upon research, i finally understood how to go ahead with the footer. The
last day on this week i commerce gathering information on the Service Page that consist of
what the company render to their customer.
I was told what information is really needed and what would be of risk to the accounts of
holders. We had to find alternatives to acquire the information so we concluded on a brief
summary of what the offer which was mainly Creation of Accounts and Giving out Loans.So
i decided to use HTML for a brief rundown on each aspect the customers wishes and CSS for
styling not forgetting that the UI most be clear and readable.
The forms that were to be codded were;
- The Loan granting form: for those who wished to collect loans from the organization
- Co-borrower form: also for loan collection but this was to be filled by the a co-borrower.
- Daily savings form; for those who wished to create daily savings accounts
- Current account form; for those who wanted to create a current accounts

Week 5:
After studying the forms and the services render by the company, I was to realize them. I
started off by coding first the daily savings requirements, It is the simplest and shortest of the
forms so coding it would give me a boast in confidence to overcome the more longer and
more difficult forms on the list. Coding this was easy I took less than a day to complete this
and Immediately started with the co-borrower for where I started enjoying the coding it was
simple because i was only required to input the most vital information needed. Then i moved
ahead to the Savings Account which was not a big deal because it was just to input what is
required to open the account.

Week 6:
On the first day of this week was somehow pressured-filled, the chairman of NIC was
coming to see how the intense especially the software engineers to see how far we have gone
in the project. The heat was too much coming from our supervisor buut we only needed to
calm our-self down, but finally never showed up. The next day was quite difficult because i
needed to build the payment page. With little knowledge, i needed to see samples and draft
out how it will look like and this took me two days. The following day i now concluded i
need to have in total three payment page. The first where user choose which payment method
the use or preferable which is commonly MTN MOMO and ORANGE MONEY. Each of this

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pages had 24hrs to be done. On the last day of the week, I examined the various payment
pages and also try to modify the it according to reference of NIC color but it was not so
appealing and due to know no API to complete the payment process so a pop up message
way made to to show that we will be available soon.

Week 7:
It was not the best for me because i was very ill, but my supervisor advise me to go home but
i rejected the offer. She was speechless for a seconds and said when you think you can go
home feel free to go but notify me before leaving. The next day i discovered that yesterday
was just stress and i started understanding what truly software engineers go through and i was
happy to had that experience. Not quite much was done on this day except for me going
going out to field for advert. The rest of the day quite was not down only relaxation because6
the said i need to rest but we still had revision on HTML and CSS just not to forget and also
polish my project for possible error.

Week 8:
Much was not done, i only needed to check all what I've done in the following weeks and
later we had to close early because the was a meeting that had to hold in the Company.
Same goes to the following week reason being because the needed to prepare each and every
intense their Attestation. On forth day of the week, i needed to meet my colleague so we can
combine the entire projects and on the last day we had a meeting to say how the internship
has help the us and also give some suggestion to the Company.

3.2 Comparison of theory and practice (Focus Area)

During my internship at NIC plc, I have had the opportunity to compare and contrast the
theoretical knowledge acquired through my academic studies with the practical work
experience gained on-site. This report aims to highlight the key differences and similarities
between theory and practice in the field of software engineering.

Theory:
Theoretical knowledge forms the foundation of software engineering education. Through
coursework and academic studies, I have gained a solid understanding of programming
languages, algorithms, data structures, software development methodologies, and other
fundamental concepts. Theoretical knowledge provides a conceptual framework and equips
me with the necessary tools to approach software engineering challenges.

Practical Work:
Engaging in practical work at NIC plc has allowed me to apply and enhance the theoretical
knowledge acquired during my studies. Working on real-world projects has exposed me to
the complexities and nuances that textbooks and lectures often do not capture. I have had the

14
opportunity to collaborate with experienced professionals, gain insights into industry
practices, and understand the practical considerations involved in software development.

Comparison:
I. Contextual Understanding: Theory provides a broad understanding of software
engineering concepts, while practical work at the internship site offers a more contextual
understanding. In practice, I have learned to consider factors such as project
requirements, client expectations, budget constraints, and time lines, which influence
software development decisions.
II. Problem-Solving: Theory equips me with problem-solving techniques and algorithms.
However, practical work has shown me the importance of adapting and applying these
techniques in real scenarios. I have encountered unique challenges that require creative
problem-solving, critical thinking, and the ability to make informed decisions based on
practical constraints.
III. Collaboration and Communication: While theory often focuses on individual work,
practical work emphasizes collaboration and effective communication within a team. I
have learned to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, leveraging their
expertise and ideas to achieve project goals. Practical work has emphasized the
significance of clear communication, active listening, and effective teamwork in
delivering successful software solutions.
IV. Real-world Constraints: Theory often assumes ideal conditions, while practical work
exposes me to real-world constraints and limitations. I have encountered challenges such
as limited resources, time pressures, changing requirements, and technical constraints.
Adapting to these real-world constraints has taught me to prioritize and make trade-offs
to deliver functional and efficient software

Practice Theory

Offers a more contextual understanding Provides a broad understanding of

of what is given in theory software engineering concepts
Show importance of adapting and Theory gives problem solving skills and
applying algorithms and problem solving algorithms
skills learned in practice
There is collaboration and effective Focuses more on individual work
communication within a team
Practical work exposes interns to real life Theory rather assumes ideal conditions
challenges

solutions.

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I. Continuous Learning: While theory provides a foundation, practical work has reinforced
the importance of continuous learning and staying updated with emerging technologies
and industry trends. The internship site has exposed me to new tools, frameworks, and
development practices. It has emphasized the need to stay adaptable and embrace
lifelong learning in the ever-evolving field of software engineering.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the comparison between theory and practical work at the internship site has
been an invaluable learning experience. The internship has allowed me to bridge the gap
between academics and the professional world, enhancing my practical skills, exposing me to
real-world challenges, and reinforcing the importance of collaboration, adaptability, and
continuous learning in software engineering. Some of the goals which I set for my self were
met like learning more of HTML and how to create and design web pages, styling web pages
and being flexible with changing user interfaces as per demand.

CHAPTER FOUR

EVALUATIONS OF THE INTERNSHIP

In order to provide an explicit evaluation of the internship carried out at the National
Investment Credit, the SWOT
(strength, weakness, opportunities and threats) analysis method was used.
A SWOT analysis is a compilation of the company’s strengths, weakness, opportunities and
threats and its main objective is help the organization aware of all the factors involved in
making
a business decision.

4.1 strength of the organization

 Large audience reach
 Source of news
 High impact in the community
 Open to new technology
 Active demonstration of new ideas

4.2 weakness of the organization

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 No back up electricity plan hence stopping work in case of power failure
 Small staff, thus limiting the type of activities carried out
 Small office limiting the size of interns working at a given time
 Insufficient information about NIC on their web sites

4.3 opportunities to the organization

 They open payed volunteering for individuals who need part time or full time jobs
 They bring an open market to interns and individuals through networking on field thus
exposure to potential businesses

4.4 threats to the organization

 The fact that NIC is a micro finance and not a main bank is a threat as many potential
customers may rather choose to save in the banks rather than in the organization its self
 Other micro finance organizations act as competition to NIC thus a threat
 Limited budget to hire new staff and regularly update damaged equipment.

CHAPTER FIVE : CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDAIONS

5.1 conclusion
In conclusion my internship experience at NIC Plc was good. Even though given the short
comings and hard times faced during the internship period I enjoyed the experience and made
some good connections during the internship.

5.2 Recommendations
 One of the most important recommendation is for NIC PLC to improve and grow on the
Software Department because in time to come the world will be moving in to complete
the and this may hinder them from achieving their goals.
 Implant a stand by generator in the office
 Add their staff to maximum capacity to do work done

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 APPENDIXES

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Fig1 NIC plc logo
Source: intern 2023

Fig2 Application Loan Page

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Fig3 General Footer

Fig 4: Overview Payment Page

Fig 5: MTN MOMO Payment Payment

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Fig 6: ORANGE MONEY Payment Method

‘;b

Fig 7: Pop-Up Message Page

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