“Students and parents alike are becoming more interested in the CP, as they begin to understand its purpose and benefits.”At the Western International School of Shanghai (WISS), the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) offers Grade 11 and 12 students the chance to develop through a truly flexible and personalised education. The IBCP is the perfect programme for students who have a strong interest in a specific field or profession.Students at WISS engage in the IBCP through one of three career-related pathways: CP Sports, CP Production Arts (Theatre Technology), or CP-SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). The Sports and Production Arts pathways offer IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) classes, the IBCP core and a BTEC National Level three Subsidiary Diploma. The CP-SCAD pathway combines IBDP classes, the IBCP core, and five university-level eLearning courses offered through the Savannah College of Art and Design.Across all three pathways, WISS CP students engage in a rigorous academic programme that includes the breadth of a maximum of four IBDP classes, the depth of a career-related study (through BTEC or SCAD), and the holistic education of the IBCP core.

Enriched learning 'on the job'

Throughout the CP, we strive to make the learning experience as purposeful and as career-related as possible. One way in which we do this is through our CP internships and enrichment programmes. Our CP Sports students embark on an 18-month internship with our on-site Stoke Football Academy to learn the inner workings of a sports business and the skills and qualities essential to sports coaching. We also offer sports internship and enrichment opportunities through our official Sports Scholarship Agency, FirstPoint USA, and a UK sports business enrichment trip provided by Premiership Experience, working with the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, and Manchester United Football Club.Our CP Production Arts (Theatre Technology) students benefit from an 18-month internship with the WISS Theatre Group. The internship involves students working alongside our Arts faculty on multiple productions, while working with industry-standard equipment, learning valuable skills and techniques, and eventually progressing to take on roles of responsibility in WISS shows and events. We also offer a UK Arts enrichment trip through Premiership Experience that grants our students behind-the-scenes access and tickets to shows, events, and exclusive workshops in London’s famed theatre district.All of our Grade 11 students have the opportunity to apply for the SCAD Rising Stars pre-college summer programme that takes place in the summer between Grade 11 and 12. The Rising Stars programme allows students to engage in five weeks of on-campus university study to enhance their depth of understanding in their chosen pathway. We support the application process of any of our DP/CP students who are interested in the variety of courses on offer at SCAD. The first two WISS students who applied completed the programme in summer 2019 and we expect many more to follow. Additionally, any WISS CP-SCAD student can take one of their five courses on campus in either Hong Kong, Atlanta or Savannah if they would like to do so over the summer.

Clear pathways to success

On the completion of the CP, we aim to make sure that our students have clear pathways to further education and work. An example of this is our partnership with the University of Stirling. Over the past academic year, we collaborated to map the CP Sports curriculum and produce specific CP graduate entry requirements into 12 undergraduate programmes. These range from Sports and Exercise Science to Sports Business Management and provide excellent pathways for our CP graduates into their chosen careers. We have replicated this process with the University of Melbourne for our CP Production Arts (Theatre Technology) pathway, which is now recognised as an entry pathway into the Bachelor of Fine Arts programmes. Our CP SCAD graduates have a multitude of fantastic options for progression into the SCAD undergraduate programmes, with the benefit of graduating from WISS already having earned university credits.As we enter the third year of delivery for the CP at WISS, we are observing growth year on year. This is attributed to the greater selection of innovative career-related pathways on offer and the continually evolving career-related experiences that we provide for our students. Students and parents alike are becoming more interested in the CP, as they begin to understand its purpose and benefits. University recognition through our partners at SCAD and the University of Stirling is also enticing interest within the WISS community, as the profile and reputation of the CP is gaining traction worldwide. We, as a school community, look forward to being a part of and contributing to the growth of the CP over the coming years.For more information on the IBCP at WISS, visit: https://www.wiss.cn/academics/the-ib-programmes/career-related-programme/

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