Field attachment and internships in Dar es Salaam: how to find a place and use it well

Attachment, internship or graduate trainee

These words are often mixed up, so be clear about which one you are looking for.

• Field attachment, often called mafunzo kwa vitendo, is practical training that forms part of a college or university course. Your institution usually sets the length, the timing and how you will be assessed.
• An internship is a placement, often for a recent graduate, to gain work experience. Terms vary widely between employers.
• A graduate trainee post is a job for a graduate who is being trained. Since the Labour Laws (Amendments) Act, 2025, an employer may hire a graduate on a contract for a specified period to be trained or gain work experience, for up to twenty-four months.

If a host gives you a contract, read it like any employment contract. Read how contracts work. See how internships differ from permanent jobs.

Start with your institution's requirements

Before you contact any organisation, find out exactly what your college or university expects:

• the dates and minimum length of the attachment;
• the kind of organisation and work that counts for your course;
• the forms you need, such as an introduction letter and an acceptance form for the host to sign;
• the logbook or report you must keep, and who will assess you;
• whether your institution helps with placements or has a list of past hosts.

Ask for your introduction letter early. Many hosts will not consider a student without one, and it shows that the placement is part of a real course.

Build a target list

Search widely, because popular hosts fill early. In Dar es Salaam, think about where work in your field actually happens: hospitals and laboratories for health students, banks and microfinance offices for business students, the port area and clearing firms for logistics, factories and workshops for engineering, and government offices, NGOs and media houses for many courses. Read about the main work areas of Dar es Salaam.

List twenty or more organisations, with an address, the office that handles placements and a phone number or email from the organisation's official website. Include some smaller employers. A busy private clinic or a small engineering firm may give you more hands-on work than a famous name with fifty other students.

How to apply

Prepare a short application pack:

• your introduction letter from the institution;
• a one-page CV with your course, year, practical skills and contact details;
• a short cover letter or email saying what you study, the dates you are available and what you hope to learn.

Deliver it to the human resources office or the person named on the organisation's website, in person or by email. Read how to write a job application email. Follow up politely after about a week. Keep a simple table of where you applied, when, who you spoke to and the answer. Use our tracking guide.

Plan the costs and the commute

Attachments in Dar es Salaam can be expensive in transport, meals and sometimes accommodation. Ask the host whether it pays any allowance or provides meals or transport, and do not assume either way. Plan your daily route and test it before the first day, leaving extra time for traffic.

Be careful with money. If a host asks for a fee, ask for an official invoice in the organisation's name and check with your institution before paying. Never pay an individual who promises to secure a placement for you. Check a recruiter before sending money.

Make the placement count

Hosts remember students who are reliable and curious. In the first week, agree with your supervisor what you will work on and how you will be assessed. Then:

• arrive on time and follow the dress code and safety rules;
• fill in your logbook every day, not the night before it is due;
• ask for tasks when you finish one, and ask questions when you are unsure;
• keep confidential information confidential, including patient, customer and company records;
• note the skills, tools and software you use, with examples.

Halfway through, ask your supervisor for feedback and for the chance to try something new.

If the placement is not working

Sometimes a placement goes wrong: you are given no real tasks, only errands, or you are treated unfairly. Start with a polite conversation with your supervisor and suggest tasks linked to your course. Record what you were asked to do in your logbook.

If nothing changes, contact the attachment coordinator at your institution. Report harassment, unsafe work or a request for money or favours to your institution and to the host's human resources office straight away. Your safety matters more than completing the placement at that host, and your institution can help you move.

Turn it into a reference and a job lead

Before you leave, make sure your supervisor completes your assessment form. Ask whether they would write a short letter confirming your dates and duties, or act as a referee. Thank the team, and keep their contact details.

Add the attachment to your CV with accurate dates, the organisation's name and two or three things you actually did. Do not describe a student placement as paid employment. Read how to write a CV that makes your experience clear.

After graduation: internships and first jobs

When you finish your studies, look for graduate internships, trainee posts and entry-level roles. Read each advert for the duration, pay and whether a job at the end is promised in writing. Some employers recruit former attachment students, so let your host know when you graduate. See current roles open to beginners.