Dexter Chasokela N01520568X

ABSTRACT
The report is based on my attachment stay at Zimbabwe Power Company (Kariba) from the 15th
of August 2018 to the 31st of July 2019. It aims to fully explain and elaborate on the tasks,
outcomes, challenges faced and lessons learnt from the tasks undertaken, which formed the
industrial training component of my Bachelor’s Honours Degree in Civil and Water Engineering.
I will be laying out a comprehensive account of my industrial attachment period at ZPC Kariba in
the ensuing sections of this discourse. The report describes the company history and background
and it dwells on brief descriptions of the major tasks carried out in the different Civil Engineering
fields I had the privilege of being involved in, with continual reference to how they relate to the
theoretical background I was exposed to at NUST. The aim of the report is to bridge the gap
between the practical work I carried out and the theory relating to it, revealing the importance
of both aspects towards the completion of my studies in particular and my professional career in
general.
Dexter Chasokela N01520568X

11ATTACHMENT CHALLENGES
Generally the main challenges the student faced during the attachment period were:
• At the KSPS civils department before the lead artesian was appointed, the foreperson was away
from work at school most times leaving the student somehow overally in charge of the department.
So the main challenge was when assigning works to my subordinates. Being a student most of them
having been working for many years, they were not willing to take instructions or to be directed by
a student especially with deadlines given and with results being awaited by the management it
became a problem. However, with time the student and the subordinates managed to strike a
relationship and everything was now in place.

• At KSEP most of the equipment, methods and machinery used was very advanced so the main
challenge at first was with carrying out inspections with very little or no knowledge at all of the
methods being used. So this commanded for very thorough researches.

12RECOMMENDATIONS
12.1 TO NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
I would like to applaud NUST for incorporating the Industrial Attachment period in our 5 year
honour’s degree program as this provides synergism between theory and practical (industry-wise).
The following are my recommendations to the University:-
• I recommend that software packages which deal in depth with computer programming courses be
incorporated in our study modules as these are crucial computer skills required in the industry if
there is to be any production. Information Technology in the Engineering industry is now very
dynamic as most things are now being computerized, hence these skills form a base upon which
other IT skills can be developed. The university can contemplate introducing professional grooming
courses.

• I feel that the Department should conduct a seminar before students go on attachment, which
will advise them on how to conduct themselves in a professional manner. This seminar