School of Management and Leadership
(SML)
UCU 400
INDUSTRIAL ATTACHMENT:
A REPORT OF INDUSTRIAL ATTACHMENT AT KENYA POWER & LIGHTING COMPANY
(KPLC)
31st March 2025
by
BCOMK/4/00160/3/19
Richard Ochieng (Author)
Submitted to
Ms Ann Sedah
DECLARATION
STUDENT DELARATION
I declare that this report has never been presented before by anyone and that it is my original
work.
Sign _______________________ Date ________________________
FACULTY SUPERVISOR DECLARATION
I have reviewed this work and have determined that no part of it has been presented by any other
student before for the award of a degree or qualification.
Sign ________________________ Date ______________________
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
All thanks to the Almighty for the life, strength, knowledge, wisdom, courage and many more
towards the success of Industrial Attachment.
The author wishes to thank the family members, including Moses Opiyo, Ruth Opiyo, Clinton
Opiyo, Zedekia Abach and others for the financial & emotional support during this period.
The Management University of Africa played a role towards the author’s successful completion.
Kenya Power & Lighting Co. were able to offer Industrial Attachment opportunity to the author
and that has duly been acknowledged. The author’s Organizational Supervisor Madam Elector
Owino’s efforts towards the success of the attachment have been acknowledged. Many thanks to
all the KPLC staff whose assistance was sought and whose skills and knowledge played a critical
role for the successful completion of the Industrial Attachment.
All the friends, colleagues, relatives whose support was sought but may not be mentioned by
name are acknowledged.
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION..............................................................................................................................i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................................. ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................................... iii
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................... 1
1.0 BACKGROUND OF ORGANIZATION............................................................................... 1
ACHIEVEMENTS.......................................................................................................................... 4
2.0 Introduction........................................................................................................................ 4
2.1 Activities.............................................................................................................................4
2.2 Benefits..............................................................................................................................5
2.3 Lessons............................................................................................................................. 6
2.3.1 Administrative and Organization Skills......................................................................6
2.3.2 Communication and Interpersonal skills................................................................... 6
2.3.3 Time management and Work ethics......................................................................... 7
2.3.4 Problem solving and Adaptability..............................................................................7
2.3.5 Exposure to Corporate Structure and Operations.....................................................7
2.3.6 Practical Application of Theoretical Knowledge........................................................ 8
CHALLENGES.............................................................................................................................. 9
Conclusion................................................................................................................................. 10
Recommendations.....................................................................................................................11
References................................................................................................................................. 12
iii
INTRODUCTION
This report outlines the activities carried out for a period of three months. The Industrial
Attachment was conducted at Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) Kisumu.
1.0 BACKGROUND OF ORGANIZATION
Kenya Power & Lighting Company formerly The East African Power & Lighting
Company Limited (EAP & L) was established in 1922 following a merger between Mombasa
Electric Power and Lighting Company and Nairobi Power and Lighting Syndicate to form the
EAP & L. After withdrawal from the other East African countries and only operating in Kenya,
EAP & L was renamed KPLC in 1983.
KPLC, notoriously known as Kenya Power, is a public liability company involved
majorly on electrical power transmission all over Kenya. The Kenyan government holds 50% +1
of the shares and the remaining 49% of the shares are held by private individuals and companies.
It is prudent to note that even though most individuals assume that Kenya Power generates
electrical power, they however, only transmit electrical power. Power generation on the other
hand, is performed by Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen). While exploring
Kenya Power’s activities, the author also takes an interest in the company’s other business
ventures. As of the writing of this report, the author noted that Kenya Power rents various
apartments mainly to their employees. The tenants pay the rents to the company which
constitutes part of its income.
1
The mission statement of KPLC states “We are powering people for better lives by
innovatively securing business sustainability” which is more relevant since they are majorly
involved in power supply. The vision statement on the other hand states “We aim to be Kenya’s
energy solutions provider of choice”.
In recent years, there has been a push to allow other companies into the market to transmit
electrical power, regardless, Kenya Power remains in control of electrical transmission
nationwide. They have most of the infrastructure including power lines, transformers, power
stations among others.
It is particularly insightful to examine the management structure of Kenya Power and
gain an insight on the company’s operations. The author was attached in the Western Region as
per Kenya Power segregation system which has its headquarters in Kisumu. The Western Region
is headed by a Regional Manager (RM) who is in charge of six counties namely Kisumu, Siaya,
Busia, Vihiga, Bungoma and Kakamega. Each of the counties has a County Business Manager
(CBM) who is in charge of the operations within their respective county. The CBMs report to the
RM based in Kisumu. The RM on the other hand, reports to the central office, Nairobi.
In the regional offices at Kisumu where the author was attached, there are functional departments
that are especially fascinating to explore. They are listed as follows:
● Human Resources and Administration
● Finance
● Supply Chain Management
● Customer Service
● Network Management
● Infrastructure Development
2
● ICT, Business Strategy
● Corporate Affairs & Internal Audit.
These departments are involved in several activities most of which are common in any corporate
environment and therefore this write-up will not dwell in. The report intends to dwell only on the
Human Resources & Administration Department where the author was attached. Like any other
company, Kenya Power’s Human Resources and Administration department handles mostly
employee matters. This includes but not limited to employee hiring, employee data management,
employee affairs etc.
The Human Resources & Administration department is subdivided into smaller sections
Administration services and Human Resources section. The Human Resources section
exclusively deals with employee matters. Admin services on the other hand carry out other
corporate matters such handling service contracts, mail registry, projects, business permits, rents
and rates, and property management.
3
ACHIEVEMENTS
2.0 Introduction
The Industrial Attachment was undertaken at Kenya Power & Lighting Co. from 17th
January 2025 to 31st March 2025. This report outlines the major activities that composed the
training and the achievements attained during this time.
2.1 Activities
The author aims to provide a detailed account of these activities, primarily illustrating
what a typical workday entailed during the attachment period. It is worth noting that the author
enjoys storytelling, which has influenced the writing style of this report. The reader may notice
this approach throughout the document.
Kenya Power's official working hours are 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., except on Fridays when
work ends at 4.30 p.m.. However, employees are expected to report by 7.45 a.m., 15 minutes
before official working hours. The author consistently adhered to this schedule.
Daily tasks included handling both incoming and outgoing mail in the registry. The letters
are received from various delivery agencies and are dispatched internally for the ones whose
recipients are within the office. The letters whose recipients are in other regions are prepared and
forwarded to respective destinations. The preparation majorly entails recording and packaging of
the respective letters. The same method of preparation is done for letters originating from the
Kisumu office to the central office in Nairobi and other parts of the Western Region.
4
Additionally, the department processed contracts for various service providers, and the
author played a role in this process. At this activity, the author printed, photocopied, scanned and
sorted the contract documents where applicable. Additionally, the author availed the documents
for signing and stamps to the individuals whose approvals were required before they are
forwarded to other departments like supply chain and finance e.t.c.
Notably, managing phone calls is also a task on any work day. Incoming phone calls are
received to resolve various inquiries similarly outgoing calls are initiated to obtain various
information or inform recipients on company matters. A notable example of this is when the
author was assigned to make phone calls to various employees to attend training sessions on
Overhead Line construction. The author found the experience engaging and insightful.
2.2 Benefits
The Industrial Attachment at Kenya Power was beneficial in many ways. This report
points out some of the benefits that accrued as a result.
For instance, the program gave the author a chance to observe at first hand the activities carried
out at Kenya Power which became crucial at reshaping some of the notions previously held. By
observing the activities, additional knowledge was acquired that will likely help in the future
interactions in the corporate environments.
Working as an Industrial attachment trainee also benefited the author by offering an opportunity
to interact with professionals from various places with diverse sets of skills. The professionals
interacted with helped the author gain new skills that are necessary in the fast paced work
environment.
5
The program assisted in putting into perspective the various theoretical skills acquired
during studies by applying into the real world scenarios in the workplace. The practical
experience was necessary in the effort to translate the theoretical knowledge into productive
outcomes in the workplace.
The opportunity also enabled the author to showcase skills and knowledge in problem
solving and innovation. Instead of leaving the skills dormant, the author had an opportunity to
use the skills and contribute to society. The author assisted in various problem solving situations
and tasks that increased efficiency and effectiveness in the HR & Admin department.
2.3 Lessons
There was plenty to learn from Kenya Power during the attachment period.
2.3.1 Administrative and Organization Skills
In the course of handling and processing official documents such as contracts, mail,
letters and internal communications,the author learnt organization skills and acquired new
administrative abilities. Furthermore, the author understood the importance of systematic
record-keeping and proper document flow within the organization.
2.3.2 Communication and Interpersonal skills
The opportunity to handle incoming and outgoing phone calls helped foster verbal
communication and professional etiquette when dealing with colleagues and other stakeholders.
6
Additionally, association with other colleagues in performing tasks did enhance collaboration
skills which are essential in the workplace.
2.3.3 Time management and Work ethics
Adhering to a strict work schedule at Kenya Power helped instill discipline in reporting
to work on time and meeting deadlines on the assigned tasks. Multitasking and prioritizing skills
were also achieved through balancing responsibilities like processing incoming and outgoing
letters, handling contracts, and assisting in other administrative duties.
2.3.4 Problem solving and Adaptability
The attachment period presented various challenges such as handling record
discrepancies, document errors, attending to urgent assignments that improved problem-solving
skills. The ability to learn quickly and adapt to new tasks fostered flexibility, a crucial asset in
the corporate work environment.
2.3.5 Exposure to Corporate Structure and Operations
The experience gained working at Kenya Power offered an insight into the way large
corporations operate, particularly the roles various departments play in ensuring effective and
efficient functioning of the organization.
7
2.3.6 Practical Application of Theoretical Knowledge
The attachment provided an opportunity to apply academic knowledge gained in
Business Administration to real-world administrative and human resource tasks. Exposure to
workplace procedures, such as contract approvals and regulatory compliance, deepened the
understanding of corporate governance and operational policies.
8
CHALLENGES
In the course of Industrial Attachment, several expected and unexpected obstacles were
encountered. The primary challenge was handling time constraints in the course of duty. As an
attachment trainee, the author was often assigned multiple tasks simultaneously which called for
precision in prioritization and efficiency in time management. Moreover, having to attend to
more than one superior posed a great challenge in handling multiple tasks as all the superiors
require undivided attention. As a result a learning curve was developed to establish swift
decision-making in balancing responsibilities such as handling mail, processing contracts, filing
and managing phone calls.
Another significant challenge was improper documentation of records and files. During
the filing of various files, delays often occurred due to misplaced or missing files in the filing
system. The discrepancies required additional time to fix which significantly slowed the
department operations. This pointed out the importance of accurate records handling and
attention to detail.
The complexity of regulatory paperwork in handling contracts was tedious and time
consuming. Having to move from one senior to another for approvals was unpleasant. The author
embraces technology and champions the reduction in paper work therefore to print numerous
documents for approval was a turn-off.
Harassment by staff of the opposite gender occurred a few times to the author. Attaches
are treated as the lowest in the organizational hierarchy which may not be on paper except in
practice. This makes them vulnerable to harassment by other staff. Such occurrences especially
demoralized the author and the motivation to keep learning.
9
The costs accrued throughout the attachment period were significant. This includes
commuter fees, rent, food and other personal effects. Since KPLC does not pay any stipend to
attachment trainees, it was difficult to handle all these costs.
Conclusion
In summary, working at Kenya Power & Lighting Company offered an enriching
experience with valuable insights into how large corporations work especially within the Human
Resources and Administration department. It provided the author with a deep understanding of
various operational aspects from administrative tasks to handling employees. The opportunity
also helped bridge the gap between theoretical studies and real world practice.
As a result of the opportunity, the author was also able to improve professional skills like
time management, problem-solving, and communication. The challenges encountered also acted
as learning opportunities that contributed in both personal and professional growth.
10
Recommendations
Upon the successful completion of the Industrial attachment at KPLC, the other made
observations and as a result made recommendations as follows:
❖ That organizations enhance their document management systems for easier retrieval of
information. This includes proper filing, regular maintenance of files and regular audits.
Also, reduction of paperwork and sifting to cloud document management to reduce tree
cutting.
❖ That other staff staff treat attachment trainees with dignity without discrimination despite
race, religion, color, origin, sex nationality etc.
❖ That organizations pay stipends to industrial attachment trainees to help the trainees
carter for basic stuff such as food during the training period.
❖ That learning institutions establish strong relations with organizations so as to easen the
process of securing attachment positions by students.
❖ That the period for attachment be reduced to two months since the costs incurred
throughout the period by the attache is high and the gains on the attache’s side is
minimal.
11
References
About Us. (n.d.). Kenya Power. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://www.kplc.co.ke/about-us
12
