What is IBCP?

The IB Career-related Programme (IBCP) is a tailored programme that integrates career-focused courses with IBDP subjects. It gives learners the flexibility to integrate academic learning with practical skills that are relevant to their career paths. The course design incorporates skills everyone requires to excel professionally and navigate the social infrastructure of a globally connected world. The top IB schools in Bangalore Knowledgeum Academy that offer this course provide a stimulating environment on campus and create opportunities for the learners to take advantage of the city’s varied advantages as a hub for businesses and initiatives in various industries.

IBCP Course Structure

The IBCP course is a two-year programme for learners in the age group of 16 to 19 years. has three elements -

• IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) subjects at Higher Level (HL) or Standard Level (SL) - learners will take at least two IBDP subjects in areas of mathematics, science, humanities, languages or the arts.
• The Core courses -
  1. Personal and professional skills - through this learners develop skills such as collaboration, leadership, communication, and ethical decision-making.
  2. Service learning - learners are engaged in community service activities where they apply their skills and learning in a real-world context.
  3. Reflective project - learners will do one research project through which they will explore the real-world issues in their area of interest. Here they will apply their knowledge and skills and propose original insights and solutions.
  4. Language development - this course focuses on developing the learner’s linguistic skills, focusing on the English language. Learners can opt for other languages too and build their verbal and written communication for academic and professional communication.
• Career-related study - in this component, the learner pursues vocational or career-related subjects. The courses are in the areas of business, technology, hospitality, engineering, health sciences, or other fields. Different schools offer different career-related subjects.

This is similar to the practice followed by the IB schools in Bangalore like Knowledgeum Academy which offer a selection of IBDP subjects.

IBCP objectives and assessments

The course object of IBCP is to enable learners to develop a range of skills for research, critical thinking, management, and intercultural understanding. It gives learners the choice to study only the subject that pertains to the career they wish to pursue and other related subjects that are essential for them in their personal and professional lives. Further, through an experiential learning framework that stresses practicals over theory, the course gives learners the flexibility to understand the subject and the vocational programme in a real-life context. At the end of the programme, the learners will know what roles can be assumed in the field and their areas of interest.

IBCP uses a combination of internal and external assessments such as projects, presentations, written exams and portfolios. Through the assessments, learners demonstrate their knowledge, skills and contextual application of their learnings. The best IB schools in Bangalore like Knowledgeum Academy follow this assessment model to test the learners.

Scope of IBCP

IBCP makes learners career-ready through their straightforward approach to career-centric and vocational education. The programme has been developed for learners who want to engage in career-related learning where they gain transferable skills through applied knowledge, cross-cultural engagement, and effective communication. Upon successful completion of the course from International Baccalaureate schools in Bangalore, IBCP learners can pursue the following pathways -

• Further education - learners can go to world-renowned universities and colleges to pursue college education. They can choose college courses in their field of study at IBCP, or move to other courses where their qualifications will be accepted.
• Vocational training and internship - learners can opt to do internships or vocational training in their field of interest. They can gain placement in fields such as healthcare, information technology, construction, photography and more.
• Employment - with the IBCP the learner can start in the entry-level position in an organisation in their field of study.
• Entrepreneurship - learners can choose to work for themselves and entrepreneurs working on a start-up or as freelance consultants. The programme teaches the basics of business management, marketing, finance and other course subjects to enable learners to become entrepreneurs.

Bangalore's best IB schools such as Knowledgeum Academy that offer the IBDP take a focused approach to prepare learners for college education through rigorous academic leanings. The IBCP prepares learners for further education, apprenticeships, or employment, emphasising skills development, critical thinking, and international-mindedness. It is ideal for learners who have a strong focus on the vocation they wish to pursue after school and gives them greater control over how and what they wish to learn.