AN INDUSTRIAL ATTACHMENT REPORT AT KENYA

TEA DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (NYANSIONGO TEA

FACTORY)

PRESENTED BY: SUSAN KERUBO OMBATI

REGISTRATION NUMBER: 20/03545

ATTACHMENT PERIOD: 1ST JULY 2024-30TH

AUGUST 2024

SUBMITTED ON: 15th September 2024

An Industrial Attachment Report Submitted to the School of

Business for the Award of Bachelor of Commerce at KCA

University
 DECLARATION

STUDENT DECLARATION

I do declare that this report is my original work pertaining the tasks, experiences and skills that I

acquired during my industrial attachment at Nyansiongo Tea Factory and that it has never been

presented before any examination body for any awards.

NAME SUSAN KERUBO OMBATI Signature DATE 15/09/2024

SUPERVISOR DECLARATION

This attachment report has been submitted for examination with my approval as the university

attachment supervisor.

NAME: Mr Eliud lagat. SIGNATURE DATE

Acknowledgement

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to every person who contributed to this achievement in one way

or the other. Many thanks to both my industrial supervisor and the university supervisor for

giving me the required guidance and to my fellow students whom we were attached together at

Nyansiongo Tea Factory for the consultations we made together.

DEDICATION

I dedicate this work, my efforts and all my struggles to my family for always being there for me

in all situations. To my university lecturers for equipping me with the necessary skills and

playing a big role in development of my career. Thank you so much.

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 Contents
DECLARATION...................................................................................................................................................i
ABBREVIATION AND ACRONYMS...............................................................................................................ii
ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................................................iii
CHAPTER ONE...................................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................1
1.0 GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION....................................................................................................................1
1.1 HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION.........................................................................................................1
1.2 VISION, MISSION AND CORE VALUES OF NYANSIONGO TEA FACTORY.....................................2
1.3 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE............................................................................................................4
1.4 DETAILS OF PLACEMENT DEPARTMENT.............................................................................................5
CHAPTER TWO..................................................................................................................................................7
ATTACHMENT EXPERIENCE.........................................................................................................................7
2.1 SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN DURING MY ATTACHMENT PERIOD.................................7
2.2 ANALYSIS OF LEARNT KNOWLEDGE AND ACQUIRED SKILLS......................................................9
2.4 OBSERVATION AND CRITIQUE.............................................................................................................11
2.4.3 RELEVANCE OF EXPERIENCE TO TRAINING..................................................................................13
CHAPTER THREE............................................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................................14
3.0 SUMMARY..................................................................................................................................................14
3.1 CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................................14
3.2 RECOMMENDATIONS..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES...................................................................................................................................................16

a
 ABBREVIATION AND ACRONYMS

KTDA-Kenya Tea Development Agency.

CTC-Crush, Tear and curl

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 ABSTRACT

Industry based learning has become an important means of enabling students to acquire skills

and experience outside what they have learnt in university. Industry based learning (attachment)

to date has been seen as a means to infiltrate students to the job market and has become one of

the academic prerequisites required for graduation. This report contains information which I

gathered during my industrial training at Nyansiongo Tea Factory which is under KTDA for a

period of nine weeks. It also gives all the activities I undertook at Nyansiongo Tea Factory, the

experience I gained, the practical skills acquired and the personal inputs to the organization.. It

also entails my recommendations and conclusion of my training.

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

Nyansiongo tea factory is situated in Nyansiongo shopping Centre, Borabu sub county, Nyamira

County along Kisii -Sotik highway. The institution also borders some food processing factories

that is Kebirigo tea factory to the North, Nyankoba tea to the west, Kapkatet to the east,

Kiamokama to the south east and Bomet district to the south

1.1 HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION

Nyansiongo tea factory was built in 1973 when it was incorporated as a company. It was

commissioned to process black orthodox tea in 1974, in 1980 the factory changed to produce

black CTC tea to date.

The factory is owned by over 16000 small scale farmers and Nyansiongo tea factory is one of

KTDA braches. The factory's catchment areas are divided into zones for the purpose of

governance. The zones are;

1. West Mogirango

2. Kitutu

3. Gesima

4. Esise

5. Nyansiongo

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6. Mekenene

For equitable representation each of this area has one slot in the board of the company which is

nominated by growers in free exercise.

1.2 VISION, MISSION AND CORE VALUES OF NYANSIONGO TEA

The sector provides the Vision and Mission of the Kenya Tea Development Agency. It also

articulates the core values that are expected to guide the conduct of K.T.D.A staff in service

delivery. Furthermore, the chapter provides the core functions and objectives here at Nyansiongo

tea factory

1.2.1 VISION

To be the leading producer and processor of safe high quality black CTC tea products in the

world

1.2.2 MISSION

To provide effective and efficient services to the small holder tea farmers in production, leaf

collection and processing of safe high quality teas for the benefit of shareholders and other

stakeholders

1.2 3 CORE VALUES

1. Customer focused.

2. Uphold high standards of ethical practices.

3. Socially responsible.

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4. Equal opportunity employer.

5. Working together as a team.

1.2.4 QUALITY POLICY

KTDA management services ltd is committed to effective management services to the tea sector

for efficient production, processing and marketing of high quality teas for the benefit of

shareholders and other stakeholders. Our goal and objectives is to meet and exceed our

customers ‘expectations in providing quality products and associated services. We shall endeavor

to continually maintain and improve an efficient and effective quality management system

meeting both regulatory and the ISO 9001.2015 requirements.

1.2.5 CORE VALUES

1. Collection of tea from buying center.

2. Processing of tea.

3. Proving farmers with inputs such as fertilizer.

4. Sensitizes farmers on high- quality production of tea.

Figure 1.ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF NYANSIONGO TEA FACTORY.

Organizational Structure is the formal pattern of interactions and coordination designed by the

management to link the task of individuals and groups in achieving organizational goals and

objectives.

The organizational structure of Nyansiongo Tea Factory is constituted in a way that the Board

members Are at the top most and they are the governors of the company.

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1.4 DETAILS OF PLACEMENT DEPARTMENT

During my attachment period at Nyansiongo Tea Factory I worked at both the accounting and

procurement departments whose functions are:

i) Accounting Department

1. Financial reporting and analysis

2. Petty cash management

3. Reconciliation of bank statements

4. processing payments

5. Document verification

6. Preparation and submission of statutory deductions

7. Updating of cashbooks

8. Participating in financial audits

9. Management of factory cash flow

10. Keying in budget in the system.

11. Processing invoices.

ii) Procurement department

1. Invoice preparation

2. Tender analysis
3. Reviewing and analyzing purchase requisitions.

4. Developing and implementing procurement strategies.

5. Preparing and issuing requests for proposals (RFPs)

6. Evaluating and selecting suppliers.

7. Negotiating contracts and pricing terms.

8. Monitoring supplier performance and managing relationships.

9. Inventory control.

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 CHAPTER TWO

ATTACHMENT EXPERIENCE

This chapter entails an overview of my attachment experience, the specific functions that I

performed in the firm where I was attached and the skills and knowledge that I was a able to

acquire.

2.1 SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN DURING MY ATTACHMENT PERIOD

I worked at the accounting department and also procurement departments and below is a

breakdown of some of the activities I performed;

1. Bank Reconciliation.

Daily reconciliation of cash and cheque balances using accounting system. Reconciliation

of bank statement with cash book. This is done at the end/beginning of the month

whereby bank statement is reconciled with the information recorded in the cashbook.

Bank reconciliation for the bank Accounts. Correcting the ledger entries and transaction

descriptions.

2. Processing Payments.

Payment processing including voucher preparation, posting and cheque writing. Staff

development account report for Board. I participated in ensuring all payments due to

suppliers were processed and necessary approval levels were followed. Checking and

verifying that supplier invoices are ready for payment. Visiting the Bank to bank the

signed cheques and payment of the bills. Online system routine checks for payment,

approvals, and account balance.

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3. Preparation and Submission of Statutory.

This involves ensuring that all statutory deductions are prepared and submitted on time.

PAYE and NHIF is paid by 9th of the following month while NSSF is paid by 15th.

4. UPDATING OF CASHBOOKS

Identifying and posting of outstanding items in the cashbooks and bank statements.

Reimbursement of station imprests and petty cash.

5. Responding to Audit Queries.

Participating in Financial audits and responding to audit queries i.e outstanding items,

on-reconciling items. Participating in the implementation of audit recommendations

6. Financial Reporting And Analysis.

It’s the process of documenting and communicating financial activities and performance

over specific time periods to internal and external stakeholders, typically on a quarterly or

yearly basis.

7. Reviewing and analyzing purchase requisitions

This ensures that purchasing requests make sense and fall within budget guidelines.

8. Inventory Management

Is the process of monitoring stock levels to ensure that all kinds of materials are

accessible whenever the production department needs them.

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2.2 ANALYSIS OF LEARNT KNOWLEDGE AND ACQUIRED SKILLS.

Based on my academic pursuits and the industrial attachment experience, I have learnt

and achieved the following knowledge and skills;

2.2.1 Learnt knowledge

 Experience of teamwork and development of interpersonal skills Ability to work in a

team and with my colleagues around me which was essential in every type of job. It

allowed me to gain experience of this first hand and develop teamwork and

interpersonal skills.

I was able to relate the theoretical framework of business management as learned in

 Class to the practical application of the business management policies in a real work

environment.

Learned about the main rules of a successful business presentation

Learned about basic company’s procedures, documents and rules; to be followed in

the work environment.

Achieved basic knowledge on employee relationship and how to solve employee

conflict.

I was mentored by senior staff members at Nyansiongo Tea Factory. This contributed

towards my increased competence and productivity at work.

 I was able to execute assigned duties in consultation with other team members

thereby instilling the importance of team work in a working environment in me.

The attachment period has enabled me to exploit my full potential in advancing

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 professionalism in the areas of leadership and management in a growing &

challenging working environment which will make use of my experience and skills

for the achievement of the organization’s strategic objectives and mission, steering it

to the highest level of success.

 The attachment opportunity has facilitated a positive transformation in my place of

work by enhancing cohesion among colleagues aiming at improving service delivery

and profitability.

o Better understanding of corporate protocols and working environment stems from

the fact that I was allowed humble working space and responsibilities to make my

own judgment.

2.3.2 Applied Skills

During my attachment period at Nyansiongo Tea Factory, I was able to apply various

skills while executing my duties at the firm. This skills are;:

1. Interpersonal skills: During my attachment period I had the opportunity to interact with

different people in different positions.

2. Computer skills and operations: I was able to feed in information into the chaipro system,

scan documents, prepare vat returns, print documents and much more.

3. Knowledge application: I had the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge into real life

situations. For instance I used the knowledge in introduction to taxation and advanced

taxation to prepare vat returns, payee and other statutory deductions.

My attachment experience at Nyansiongo Tea Factory has helped me gain broader knowledge

regarding my career. I am now more aware of what my roles and responsibilities as an account

are .My interaction with different staff from various departments has helped me to realize how

important team work is. Also I was involved in the day to day running of the company and had a

chance to help in coming up with problem solving ideas therefore it was an advantage to my

career since I developed management skills Problem. I gained better understanding of corporate

protocols and working environment stems from the fact that I was allowed humble working

space and responsibilities to make my own judgment.

2.4 OBSERVATION AND CRITIQUE

This chapter highlights the observation and critiques to the organization and to the entire

attachment report in Nyansiongo Tea Factory Limited.

2.4.1 Observation

During my attachment period at Nyansiongo Tea Factory I made the Following Observations;

a) Friendly workforce

The welcoming and friendly nature of the staff in Nyansiongo Tea Factory made me feel at home

and I enjoyed my stay there; almost all the employees were always in a jovial mood and always

ready to assist and I was grateful to them.

b) Staff commitment

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In all sections I have been in, I observed that staffs were so committed to their work in which

there was minimum supervision yet productivity was high.

c) Good employer - employee relations

There was a very pleasing relation between employer and employees and as well as their clients.

This means a flow of work and regulation facilitate this co existing

d) Open communication

During my attachment, I also observed that there was an open communication between employer

and employees and as well as the attachees. They communicated with concern so that the

attachees feel how the system works.

e) Willingness to teach attachees.

The Kenya Tea Development Agency (Nyansiongo tea factory) staff where I was attached had

the heart to teach and coach attachees assigned to their sections.

f) Punctuality, timely reporting and feedback were key in addressing urgent issues raised by

customers.

2.4 2. CRITIQUE

1. Monotony: There were a lot of repetitive activities thereby making work monotonous.

2. Lack of enough human resources in the department hence long working hours to meet the

daily work plan.

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2.4.3 RELEVANCE OF EXPERIENCE TO TRAINING.

During my attachment period I was able to interact with seniors in the accounting profession

hence gained more skills and understanding about my profession which will help me as I venture

into the job market. The attachment period has enabled me to exploit my full potential in

advancing professionalism in the areas of leadership and management in a growing &challenging

working environment which will make use of my experience and skills for the achievement of

the organization. I was also able to build good relationships through contact with various people

among them being staff and customers of the company and this helped me to advance knowledge

in my career.

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 CHAPTER THREE

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

3.0 SUMMARY

My attachment experience at Nyansiongo Tea Factory has really been a game changer in my

profession as I was able to learn from seniors in my field of study and acquired skills which will

help me a great deal as I venture into my career .The industrial attachment exposed me to the

practical aspects of the theory learnt in Bachelor of Commerce. I was able to achieve the set

objectives of the attachment. Being involved in the day to running of the company, I was able to

learn and gain knowledge on how to operate in an office environment.

3.1 CONCLUSION

I wish to State that this was an opportunity of a life time in exploring more practically on my

skills and experience in the area of accounting and finance roles in general. The interpersonal

skills enabled me to associate with both the senior staff and the subordinates and this was so

helpful in avoiding conflicts at the work place. It exposed me more to people with skills I admire

in this profession especially my immediate supervisor Mr Erick Mokaya and the entire

Accounting and finance department. I believe the skills I acquired through observation and

practice will take me a long way in growing my career.

3.2 RECOMMENDATIONS

I consider the following recommendations being sufficient to effective performance of

Nyansiongo Tea Factory in regards to the critiques above

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1. The company should expand spaces for internship/attachment placements to as many students

as they can because some miss this experience which is also an important requirement for the

study and simply being exposed to a relevant field.

2. Bearing in mind that the department deals with general administration of the functions

organization should uplift and update the information technology system through continuous

maintenance and repair where necessary of their computer systems so as to enhance efficiency

and effectiveness in the accounting and finance department.

3. The accounting and Finance department is the backbone of every business and the

organization at large, and in this respect the department should be efficient in its operation to

enhance effective functions within the department.

4. As an observation, it is prudent for the organization to continue motivating its employees

though training, improving their remuneration and establishing better working environment in

the administration department.

5. It is recommended that the organization allow creativity and innovation in that one is expected

to come up with new ideas and ways of effectively managing the resources of the company in

order to meet the targets of the organization and efficiency of the organization.

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 REFERENCES

1. Kenya Tea Development Agency Website.

2. The East African Tea Trade Association Files.

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