Practical Training Report On Public Relations Management Essay

Mbeya cement is one of the Business units under LAFARGE GROUP. Lafarge is the giant group leading in the world for manufacturing of construction materials particularly cement. Its head quarter is in Leon – France.

Mbeya cement plant situated 30 KM south west of Mbeya municipality along the MBEYA – Tunduma highway

Construction of the plant started at late 1976 and completed 1980. Civil works was done by Ballast O.C.C. of Netherland and machinery & equipments were installed by F.L. SMIDTH from Denmark. The capacity of the plant is 250,000 tons per year. Due to the problem of power operation started in 1983. The first bag of cement was sold on 23rd September 1983. The company manufactures Ordinary Portland and Portland Pozzolana cements according to local and international standards. Its installed capacity is 250,000 tones of clinker per year with a workforce of about 318 people. The company supplies cement to all parts of Tanzania and exports to other countries like Malawi, Zambia and Burundi. The Head Office is located at the Cement Plant. MCC regard health and safety as core business values integrated in the overall business performance.

KNOW LAFARGE MBEYA CEMENT

Decision to set up a cement factory at Mbeya was made in 1972 following preliminary exploration work for raw materials by Russian experts in the year 1971/72. 0n 1st December 1998 the company was privatized to the British company known as CDC (common wealth Development Corporation) which bought 51 shares. Other shares were as follows: NSSF 10 shares, Chilanga Cement (Zambia) 14 shares and Government of Tanzania 25 shares. On 21st February 2001 CDC sold majority of its share to the French company Lafarge which is the giant company in production of cement in the world. Its head quarter is in leon- france. Lafarge is working in many countries around the world. In Africa it has regional head quarter in South Africa.

Mbeya Cement plant, at Songwe area.

Some employees’ of Mbeya cement at plant area were by production of cement is made

1.2 ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

Mbeya CEMENT COMPANY is headed by General Manager assisted by five departments Managers which are Plant Manager, Commercial Manager, Human resources Manager, Health Safety and Environmental Manager and Finance Manager.

Under those managers there are other managers in department like Maintenance and Project manager, Optimization manager, Technical manager, Electrical manager ,Project manager, Maintenance manager, Shift manager, Quarry manager those are under plant manager, Training Manager, Administration manager, public and community relation Manager, senior industrial relation Officer under human resources manager. IT manager, financial controller Audit Manager, procurement Manager under finance manager and Marketing and sales Manager, Deport Managers, Sales Technical Manager both are under commercial Manager.

MBEYA CEMENT has a total of 255 employees of various professional and some employees for specific period and task (contactors) who gives assistance in various departments.

1.3 HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT:

Human resource is one of the core departments in MBEYA CEMENT COMPANY which has various functions to employees and community as follows.

Training and development to all employees

By having annual training budget and plan, career growth within the group, individual development program, Engineers Development Program, up skilling program for artisans, Inter BU attachment program and Lafarge university program.

Community Relation and development

Mbeya cement has social corporate responsibility policy, educational assistance, and scholarship and school buildings.

Water provision to Songwe community, Ambulance services, Donations, Annual health budget and plan, HIV AIDS education in work place programs

Annual family day, Weekly health session- Peer educators, HIV counselors.

Health, education and safety.

Mbeya Cement Company is fully committed to improve the health conditions and overall well being of its employees and their families. The company believes that the enormous economic and social impact of diseases In east Africa can be Managed through actively pursuing, understanding, intervention and effective business practice, this policy is an endorsement of that general principal and in particular of the company’s commitment to specific programs and actions in response to HIV and malaria. It is applicable to all staff and complies with the relevant laws which govern the workplace and employment practice in Tanzania.

Mbeya Cement Company carries out systematic regular medical checkup in order to prevent the development of work related or chronic disease by detecting them early.

MCC is committed to prevent employees from major public health threats by providing them with the appropriate informative when epidemic or out breaks occurs.

The company through human resources department under public and community relation office ensures that its employees and their immediate family members access information and education programs on HIV/AIDS and Malaria and other relevant health topics.

The company provides all the employees and contractors free condoms.

Besides Mbeya Cement Company Limited ensure that every employee undertakes familiarization and sensitization program , appropriate to his work to ensure that the employees work in a manner, safe not only for themselves but also safe for those working around him or her, And his due regards for the environmental impact of his actions.

Mbeya cement company provide four bars of soap to each employee working in plant departments and two bars of soap to each employee working in other departments on monthly basis.

The company distributes safety gears PPE to all employees and it protect all employees with HIV positive status with Medical care until they die while on employment, non discrimination and no sexual harassment at place of work.

Employees and their family get free medical services in and outside of the country. More over Management of Mbeya cement with TUICO maintain BURIAL FUND; this burial fund contributes for the death of employee or death of employee dependant.

Apart from those MCC giving house, meal and transport allowance for all employees who work at Mbeya plant and for all employees at Head office and Depots. The rates for these transport and other allowances are amended from time to time taking into consideration of the living cost.

Employees Relations and Communication:

Human resources department conduct monthly meeting with TUICO, general meeting with all employees (quarterly) having News letter’s (TEMBO NEWS), and best use of notice board. All these Means of communication are used for having communication with employees.

General Administration

The company trough human resources department is competing for the best people with long view, it recruits diversified and international profiles with the potential for evolve.

Mbeya cement as part of its commitment to the development and fulfillment of its employees will provides technical and vocational training for its staff to enable them to reach their full potential.

However it is agreed that is investment not only to the employees but also to the future success of the company and such has to be cost effective and of demonstrable benefits not only to the employees but also to the company.

The training policy of the company shall be the primary guide to the company’s training program when considering an employee’s training. The training policy shall be available to all employees.

By having annual training budget and plan, career growth within the group, individual development program, Engineers Development Program, up skilling program for artisans, Inter BU attachment program and Lafarge university program.

1.4 HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT STRUCTURE:

Human resources Department is headed by human resources Manager assisting with Training Manage, Administration Manager, Industrial relation officer, Public and community relation manager and registry office.

1.5 VISION OF HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

Human resources department is committed to achieve excellence in HR best practice by attracting, developing and retaining talented people for leading the company to become the employer of choice in Tanzania.

CHAPTER TWO

2.1 TASKS/DUTIES AND EXPERIENCE GAINED DURING THE PRACTICAL TRAINING.

During the first day of my presence at the organizations I was inducted about safety in Mbeya Cement Company, and I was introduced to all Department of Mbeya cements company limited.

In the second day I was assessed by the Human Resources Manager about Public relation and then he assigned me to provide administrative supports to the HR team in all function namely general administration, Industrial relations, recruitment, training and development and community relations.

The followings are duties and experience I gained during practical training in Mbeya Cement Company limited.

Maintain and update regularly employees’ record in the HR package (software), VIP and in all personal files.

Perform full clerical, administrative support and general office duties of the HR department.

Provide secretarial services to HR Department.

Provide newly recruited employees with relevant HR forms for proper employee’s records and updates thereafter.

Effectively overseeing the departmental filling system and updating them from time to time (senior/Junior staff and center filling system)

Prepare weekly and monthly reports on employee recruitment, separation, promotions and disciplinary actions.

Assisting in the recruitment process which included completing Staff requisition form, process recruitment letters, advising respective HOD’s on confirmations of offer of employment and carrying out administrative procedures required for HR induction program.

Preparation and record update for department Leave Roster and processing of all leave regulations throughout the organization by using HR leave authorization software.

Carrying out stores requisition and ensure office stationary supplies and distribution for control purposes.

I ensure all necessary toiletries are procured in time and used for the intended purposes.

In charge of office photocopying and ensure proper copies distribution.

Assist to coordinate staff travel and accommodation issues with the Administration Manager and Personal Assistant to the General Manager office.

Preparation of Executive meetings: (Room, LCD, refreshment and meals)

Keep the HR Manager and other senior Managers informed on each job applicant’s progress and highlighting any concerns regarding their settling in on first appointment.

Dealing with medical administration from medical suppliers and claims/ referrals of employees in liaison with the Administration Manager

Maintain attendance returns/ Timesheets for management and at the end of each month from the biometric attendance system

Assisting the HR team with the implementation and / or review of all HR procedures

Assisting with HR projects as and when required Eg. Annual Appraisals

Preparation and Distribution of correspondence to all employees and other external mails

Control absenteeism by prepare monthly report of absenteeism and reporting to the Public relation Manager.

I participated in HIV/AIDS campaign by educating and motivate people to know their HIV status especially for employees and contractors of Mbeya Cement Company.

I was committee member for public and community day of MCC, I participated in all Meetings for budget and preparation of the day, and I was Mistress of the ceremony on the final day.

I participated in organizing farewell part of Human resources Manager and General Manager of MCC.

I played a part in arranging and implemented charity work by visited venerable children, in this event I participate fully by motivating MCC employees to contribute something which will go to help the venerable children, I invited the Journalist to cover the event and at the event I gave a speech as public relation officer representing MCC.

2.2 EXPERIENCE/SKILLS GAINED:

During my practical training I learn and gather a lot of experience in the field of public relation field, Human resources management and general office administration.

I gained a lot of skills about Human resources management apart from my public relation which is my field of specialization. I managed to master the of use HR Biometric software which is a package for controlling in and out of all employees and to know who is late or absent from the work.

I mastered the use of leave application software for applying and approve employee leaves. I master the use VIP software this is for updating employee leaves. I also get a lot of experience in all processes of recruitment and meeting organization.

I attended fire fighting training now I can take precaution on fire related matters and fight fire at my work place.

Moreover I experience how to keep record of employees, knowing all office procedures and how to organize and budget an event.

CHAPTER THREE

3.1 CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED:

To work with employees who are more experienced and older than me were a big challenge, I am please to see the amount of confidence I built over time now I can comfortably work with them, assign them jobs and request for feedback.

Sometimes I was alone in the all department, it was challenge for me because the department always contact with many people who as different needs and problems, due the centric nature of HR department in an organization.

Therefore dealing with people of different age, nationality and sex was challenge to me because it was my first time to work on such kind of job especially in human resources department which dealing with people at all the time. Now I am comfortable working in this kind of mix.

CHAPTER FOUR: WEAKNESSES AND STRENGTHS OF THE ORGANIZATION:

4.1 Weaknesses:

Mbeya Cement Company fails to show their current image to the community around them. Current image is important thing to have in the organization some time it can help in marketing campaign.

However it can help in promoting corporate image to the stack holders, Public relation department is not active as it should be supposed to be, most of the work which are supposed to be done by Public relation officer are done by Human resources and Marketing, for instance organizing events and relation with employees.

Mbeya Cement is failing to use media as tool of communication with stakeholders. The company need develop relation with press because media have no bad intention the only thing they what is truth, and the company can all use mead for its advantage.

In case an article to a certain media is inaccurate or unfair to the organization, the company PR officer can phone the journalist or an editor politely and tell them to correct the errors. Or he/she can write a press release to other newspapers in order to correct the suggestions made in the article or pay for advertising space in the publication in order to state company case.

The company has no trained public relation manager. The current Manager is not professional public relation Manager as it supposes to be, he is from the field of chemistry by professional which has no relation with public relation.

4.2 STRENGTHS:

MCC develop health and AIDS program by having HIV and AIDS preventive program and the introduction of the peer educators, and the company protects all employees with HIV positive status with Medical care until they die while on employment, non discrimination and no sexual harassment at place of work.

They ensure self of all employees at the work environment; the Company distributes safety gears PPE to all employees and contractors.

They participate in social responsibility by build school, conducting Manson training and they implemented water project to the community around the plant by service them with free water. These spread good image of the company to the community around.

At large percent it considers the people who are near the plant by giving them employment for short term and permanent employment. These are good public relation tool and a give back to the community around.

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUTION AND RECOMANDATIONS:

5.1 CONCLUTION:

Experience I gained in Mbeya Cement company Limited is very usefully to me because it has build up my career now I can comfortably work as public relation officer of a big company also I get skills and knowledge of Human resources management which is very crucial in my carrier growth.

5.2 RECOMMENDATION:

Mbeya Cement Company limited should improve their current image due to the fact that most of the people they don’t know about current image of the Mbeya cement. MCC build school; provide water service to the community around them, organized Manson training to the different areas like Sumbawanga, Songea, MKakambako as well as Mbeya. All these things are not publicized for gain fully advantage money spent.

It is important to be aware of the image of the plant on general level accepted by the neighborhood and to know the positive and negative side of the plant as perceived by the community. Public relation Manager can identify all these by conducting random interviews in the street or public place where people gather together for the aim of making people to talk as much as they can without feeling they are questioned by Mbeya cement.

Public relation department should also prefer to use different types of media, if applicable in an event or any issues like television, radio and news paper. This will help to improve current image of the company.

However public relation department should create website of the company. This will give other people information about Mbeya cement especially for those who are far from the Mbeya region.

Moreover Public Relation should create opportunities for positive communication, these can be in the form of events or publication, for instance organization of open day’s examples anniversary of the Plant, and during the day as public relation officer you can use the opportunity to communicate positive things.

Tumaini University, Iringa University College should prepare program for their student of what they suppose to lean during the internship, this will help the student and organization as well to know exactly what to do for that period of internship.

Moreover Tumaini University should change the time of going to the practical training particularly in the faculty of arts and social sciences instead of going at the first semester it should be in the second semester of the third year, sometime students loose job opportunities because they should go back to school to finish the final semester. Also going at the final semester helps student to practice what they specialized in the university.

Generally cement industries need good relationship with environment around them because operating cement industry need good handles, requirement and request. Handling badly can become obstacle to carrying out business and can make the future of a site in to a question since they can lead rejection from some or all of stake holders, due to the environmental protection and quarry operation. However it helps to know the area of vulnerability and plant image.

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DUTIES ON PICTURES:

The day when I gave speech as public relation officer, representing MCC.

I was given the knowledge about cement production with MR Elineema Tesha during The MCC family and Community day.

This is when I thanked Mr Tesha For his Introduction about Cement Process during the Mcc Family and community day.

This is during the day MCC employees Visited to see Venerable Children at Iwambi Center. In the photo are some of the vulnerable children and me.

Some of Mcc employees and I, when we were given some staff to help vulnerable children at Iwambi vulnerable children Center.