Enhancing Undergraduate Business Student Performance through Education Data Mining: A Study on Classification, Regression, and Pattern Analysis

Abstract

This report is submitted as a part of completing the internship course at Datapath Ltd. from June 3, 2024, to September 3, 2024. This internship is a requirement for the Bachelor of Business Administration BBA program at United International University. The purpose of this internship was to introduce practical applications for the theoretical learning conducted in the BBA program. More specifically, the study aimed to make me familiar with managing retirement plan recordkeeping in the Plan Administration department at Datapath Ltd. Datapath is a joint venture company in Bangladesh, while its operational wing, July Business Service, is located in different states in the USA. The company has been specifically set up to manage retirement plans, especially 401k plans, for small to medium-sized companies. The special characteristics of the company were ideal sources of practical experience needed to fulfill the internship requirement. Technically, Datapath Ltd. is an expert in 401k plan administration however, the practical experience gained threatened the theory learned in the academic process. Mainly, I was involved in helping the Plan Administration Department learn the practical way of serving clients by helping participants in the management of their accounts with the company. Additionally, I had to help the staff in learning how to verify the DPA system, and data used in managing the plans by checking if all plan participants had submitted the data needed in managing their accounts. Specifically, I calculate the contributions and prepare the financial report in preparation for upgrading the system. The main benefit of the internship was that I learned to apply theoretical knowledge in carrying out practical operations. Some of the new skills learned were compliance testing, analyzing data and reporting it, and handling financial data and reporting it. My internship not only for me to gain some technical knowledge, including learning how to work with certain types of software. I had the chance to broaden my professional competencies as well, acquiring some much-needed skills, or enhancing those I already had prior to joining Datapath Ltd. As a member of the firm, I had an opportunity to learn more about how the workplace is organized, with the associated soft skills development, such as maintaining professional communication, using one’s time and resources efficiently, and working with other members of one’s team in a way that benefits the whole organization. I practiced solving various problems related to plan administration, finding solutions from the example of more experienced teammates. In addition, being a part of the professional BPO operation, I saw the inner workings of a firm, what kind of positions are generally required for it to function, and how it maintains contact with companies out of the country. I would like my internship experience to be, and they would suggest that they are almost entirely positive. Nonetheless, some negative aspects were present as well. The main limitation of my internship, in my opinion, is the four-month limit that was established on my time with Datapath Ltd. Some projects that I was able to take part in were too long-term, and my involvement in them was too short to get more than a glimpse of the process of a typical project is. I did not have much opportunity to deal with clients or gain insight into channels of informing the public about the services. I tried to use the few opportunities to learn more about other aspects of the company, initiating discussions with supervisors and workers from other departments, and trying to understand their experience. Overall, even with such limitations, my time at Datapath Ltd. was extremely valuable, and I will do my best to join and learn to work in, the industry in the future.