The Fundamentals of the IBCP
Ibtrove
The International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) is designed for students aged 16-19 who wish to specialize in a subject area of interest to them, whilst still receiving a broad, academic IB education. The IBCP is a perfect fit for students who are passionate about a specific field and have a good idea of the career they wish to pursue. Their journey through the IBCP will allow them to fast-track their careers and design a programme of learning that truly fits their needs and aspirations.
The framework of t
he Career-related Programme includes multiple components.
Students study 2-4 Diploma Programme (DP) courses.
Students take their Career-related Study (CrS) course.
Students work through the CP Core including:
- Personal and Professional Skills (PPS) course
- Service Learning (SL)
- Language Development (LD)
- Reflective Project (RP)
The four components of the IBCP Core provide educators the structure to explore the CP Core aims and contribute to the overarching CP aims. PPS, the RP, LD, and SL all have roles to play in the holistic education of each CP student. The CP Core aims are a continuation of the overarching CP aims, allowing educators to more precisely and explicitly design their CP Core curriculum to unpack each point. Many of these aims can be focussed on naturally within PPS. CP Core teaching teams should design their core curriculum so that components are interconnected, complimenting each other where beneficial in providing students with a coherent exploration of the aims.
Forming a strong community in the PPS course becomes the glue to all the other components. As teachers, we have the wonderful opportunity of creating learning and opening minds to relationships and connections that may never have been there. In the PPS course, there is so much teacher autonomy and flexibility. This allows for student social and emotional growth on a level that is not possible in other General Education classes.
There are 5 themes in the PPS course, and within these themes there are topics and sub-topics. It is important to tailor your PPS course to your students' interests and backgrounds. Here is one example of the topics and subtopics for effective communication.
Above all else, CP Coordinators have to be able to build positive working relationships with students to support them through their personalized programme of learning. This can be the most challenging part of the role as you could be supporting students in career fields you know nothing about, but it is certainly the most rewarding part of the job when it all comes together.
