Internship final report

I.Review of Internship Content

(1) The first month: Get familiar with entrepreneurs and enterprises

In the first month of my internship, I devoted myself wholeheartedly to the AAE platform and extensively explored the information of numerous African entrepreneurs and their enterprises. Through multiple channels such as the platform database, enterprise official websites, and industry reports, we deeply collect information on different enterprises in terms of product services, development history, corporate culture, and other aspects. After a detailed study, I focused my attention on Meltex Textiles and Apparel Manufacturing founded by Melaku Yirdaw. With over 15 years of in-depth industry experience, Melaku Yirdaw has enabled Meltex to stand out in the textile and garment field in Ethiopia. Its products are rich and diverse. Whether it is laboratory coats and aprons made of woven fabrics or polo shirts and underwear made of knitted fabrics, they can all meet the differentiated needs of different customers. Furthermore, the enterprise strictly adheres to the ISO 9001:2015 standard, actively practices the concepts of sustainable development and ethical production, has achieved a 25% market share in the local market, and has reached cooperation with more than 55 enterprises, with huge development potential.

(2) Second month: Write and report the SWOT analysis

After determining the research object, I carried out a SWOT analysis of Meltex in an orderly manner. To comprehensively and accurately grasp the actual situation of the enterprise, I actively engaged in in-depth communication with the enterprise’s management through phone calls and emails, meticulously inquiring about internal information such as production processes, employee training, and future plans, striving to gain insights into the essence of operations from an internal perspective of the enterprise. At the same time, extensively collect external information such as industry reports and competitor data, and deeply analyze industry trends, market competition patterns, and changes in policies and regulations.

Analysis reveals that Meltex has significant advantages. Its rich product portfolio and strong customization capabilities can meet the diverse needs of customers. The ISO 9001:2015 certification ensures the stability and reliability of product quality. In terms of sustainable development and ethical production, the selection of sustainable materials and the emphasis on employee training have established a good reputation for the enterprise. However, Meltex also has obvious disadvantages. Its technology application lags behind, it relies on traditional manual labor and basic equipment, and its digital construction is insufficient. Moreover, it is overly dependent on the domestic market and is vulnerable to local economic fluctuations. The limitations of funds and resources have also restricted R&D investment, equipment renewal and market expansion, resulting in a relatively low international reputation.

Meanwhile, Meltex is also facing many development opportunities. The establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has created favorable conditions for it to explore regional markets, and it can use this platform to enter related industries in countries such as Nigeria and South Africa. Under the global trend of emphasizing sustainable development, obtaining relevant certifications and launching clothing recycling projects can enhance the competitiveness of enterprises. In terms of technological innovation, integrating Internet of Things and artificial intelligence technologies is conducive to achieving product innovation and upgrading. In addition, there are numerous opportunities for government policy support and international cooperation. Expanding the B2C market is also expected to tap the potential of the young consumer group.

However, the competition that Meltex is facing is also very fierce. Ethical Apparel Africa (EAA) can deliver its products to the European and American markets quickly with efficient logistics and strict quality control. Reliance Clothing reduces costs through local procurement and gains an advantage in the price competition. Juan’re Clothing excels in the scale and efficiency of its customized services; Addictive Clothing leverages advanced digital tools to achieve rapid product iteration; Wear South African (WearSA) has emerged in the ESG market through cultural marketing; Jacques Hau dominates the high-end market with its century-old brand influence and complete vertical industrial chain. Influence Clothing provides one-stop complex design solutions with rich experience.

I carefully made the analysis results into a PPT and presented them visually through methods such as charts and data comparisons. When recording the presentation video, practice multiple times, constantly adjust the pace of explanation, language expression and body language to ensure that the key points of the analysis are conveyed clearly and accurately.

(3) The third month: Enterprise research and suggestions for e-book development

In the third month of my internship, based on factors such as industry prospects, enterprise scale, market potential, and the degree of complementarity with Chinese enterprises, I carefully selected six enterprises from the AAE platform that are of great significance to China-Africa cooperation for in-depth research. During the information collection stage, I made full use of various channels such as the enterprise’s official website, news and information, and industry reports to extensively collect all kinds of information about the enterprise. The content covered multiple aspects including the establishment time of the enterprise, organizational structure, business layout, market positioning, and operating performance.

During the research process, I also encountered quite a few difficult problems. The information on the official websites of some enterprises is not updated in a timely manner, resulting in the absence of key data. There are still some enterprises whose materials are mainly in the local language, resulting in serious language barriers. Even the relevant information of some enterprises is extremely difficult to obtain through public channels. In response to these problems, I responded actively. I communicated directly with the relevant responsible persons of the enterprise by sending emails, making international calls, etc., and politely requested them to supplement and update the information. With the assistance of professional translation software for translation and in combination with industry background knowledge for understanding and analysis; Meanwhile, I took the initiative to consult the mentors and staff of the AAE platform and, with the help of the platform’s resources and connections, obtained a lot of valuable first-hand materials.

Through efforts, I successfully collected a large amount of information and systematically organized it into detailed tables. The table is rich in content and well-organized. It not only contains the basic information of the enterprises, but also summarizes their core competitiveness, the challenges they face, their cooperation intentions in the Chinese market, and potential complementary points with Chinese enterprises, etc., so as to conduct subsequent comparative analysis and explore the greatest value of these enterprises’ cooperation with China.

While completing the enterprise research, I also participated in the work of developing enterprise articles into e-books. I carefully studied the enterprise articles on the AAE platform and deeply analyzed their content characteristics, structural framework and target audience. Based on these studies, I put forward a series of targeted suggestions. In terms of content organization, it is suggested that the articles be classified and integrated according to themes such as green development, China-Africa cooperation, and technological innovation, making the logic of the e-book clearer and facilitating readers to quickly find the content they are interested in. In terms of content presentation, add actual case analysis and data charts. Through specific enterprise stories and intuitive data display, enhance the readability and persuasiveness of the article. Meanwhile, multimedia elements such as pictures and videos are adopted to enrich the presentation forms of e-books and enhance the reading experience of readers. At the marketing and promotion level, it is recommended to make full use of channels such as social media platforms, industry forums, and professional websites to release the wonderful clips and key viewpoints of e-books and attract the attention of potential readers. Collaborate with renowned experts and opinion leaders in the industry, inviting them to recommend and share e-books to expand their influence and reach.

Ii. Internship Gains and Growth

(1) Professional skills improvement

Market analysis ability: By writing the SWOT analysis report of Meltex, I have learned to systematically assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of an enterprise, and be able to extract key information from the complex market environment, providing a basis for the enterprise to formulate strategies. During the analysis process, I delved deeply into industry trends and the situation of competitors, and employed methods such as data analysis and case comparison to make the analysis results more accurate and objective.

Information collection and organization skills: During the process of researching six enterprises and developing suggestions for e-books, I have mastered various information collection channels and methods, such as enterprise official websites, industry reports, news and information, etc. Meanwhile, I have learned to screen, organize and summarize a large amount of information, transform it into valuable data and viewpoints, and improve the efficiency and quality of information processing.

Report writing and presentation skills: Writing internship reports and recording video presentations have honed my written and oral expression abilities. I have learned how to express my viewpoints clearly and concisely, organize the report structure reasonably, and use auxiliary tools such as charts to enhance the visualization effect of the report. During the video recording process, by constantly adjusting the speaking speed, tone and body language, the presentation effect was improved and the communication ability was enhanced.

(2) Cross-cultural Communication and Global Perspective Expansion

The AAE international organization focuses on the development of African enterprises. During my internship, I gained an in-depth understanding of the business environment, cultural background and market demands in Africa. Communicating and cooperating with colleagues and entrepreneurs from different cultural backgrounds has enabled me to learn to respect and understand cultural differences and improve my cross-cultural communication skills. I recognize that the African market has huge development potential. Against the backdrop of global economic integration, the prospects for China-Africa cooperation are broad. This has further broadened my global perspective and stimulated my interest in international business.

(3) Teamwork and communication skills

Although the internship was conducted online, I actively participated in team discussions and collaborative projects. Sharing research results and exchanging ideas for e-book development with team members, during the interaction process, I learned to listen to others’ opinions, give full play to each other’s advantages, and solve problems together. Through teamwork, I not only improved my work efficiency, but also gained valuable team experience and friendship.

Iii. Deficiencies in Internship and Improvement Measures

(1) Insufficient professional knowledge reserves

When analyzing professional fields such as technological innovation and sustainable development of enterprises, I found that my knowledge reserve was limited and my understanding of some emerging technologies and industry standards was not deep enough. In my future studies and work, I will enhance the learning of relevant professional knowledge, read professional books, participate in industry training and online courses, broaden my knowledge base and improve my professional quality, so as to analyze the enterprise development strategy more deeply.

(2) The ability to analyze data needs to be improved

When dealing with enterprise data, I mainly rely on simple data statistics and descriptive analysis, lacking the ability to apply advanced data analysis tools and methods. To improve this deficiency, I plan to learn data analysis software such as Python and SPSS, master skills like data mining and data analysis models, and practice through actual projects to enhance the depth and accuracy of data analysis, providing more powerful data support for enterprise decision-making.

(3) The ability to manage time needs to be strengthened

During the internship, multiple tasks were carried out simultaneously. Sometimes, there were unreasonable time arrangements, which affected the work progress. In the future, I will learn time management skills, apply tools such as the Pomodoro Technique and the Four Quadrants Rule, rationally plan task priorities and time allocation, formulate detailed work plans, and strictly follow the plans to ensure that all tasks are completed on time.

Iv. Internship Summary and Outlook

Through this internship, I have made remarkable progress in professional skills, cross-cultural communication and teamwork, and also recognized my own shortcomings. This internship experience has enabled me to deeply understand the significant role of international organizations in promoting regional economic development and has also strengthened my determination to devote myself to the field of international business.

In the future, I hope to continue to pay attention to the development of the African market and contribute more to China-Africa cooperation by applying the knowledge I have learned. If there is an opportunity, I hope to participate in more projects related to African enterprises, gain a deeper understanding of the African market, and promote cooperation between Chinese and African enterprises in fields such as textile and garment, technological innovation, and sustainable development. Meanwhile, I will also constantly enhance my abilities and strive to grow into a versatile talent with an international perspective and professional qualities, realizing my own value on the international stage