ISM celebrates first year of IBCP Enterprise and Entrepreneurship programme

We would like to celebrate an incredible first year of offering the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) at ISM.

The International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP), launched in September last year at ISM and offered alongside our traditional IB Diploma Programme (IBDP), is an exciting new IB programme that combines academic subjects, personal development, and vocational learning to prepare students for a career in Business and Entrepreneurship. The IBCP consists of two IB Diploma Programme courses (Business Management & French), four interconnected “CP Core” components (Personal and Professional Skills, Reflective Project, Language Development, and Service Learning), and the BTEC International Level 3 Diploma in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.

Despite the challenges arising from Covid restrictions, isolating students, online learning and hybrid lessons, our IBCP students have done an excellent job of developing their skills in resilience, communication, self-management and problem-solving. They have risen to these challenges and have emerged as a group of individuals ready to take their final steps at ISM before leaping out into the wider world.

This year, each IBCP student has conducted research into a business idea. They have evaluated market conditions, examined potential risk and reward, analysed their own entrepreneurial skills and qualities and produced a comprehensive business plan. They will launch and run their new business in September 2021. The range of businesses include:

• Beast Snacks – a school based healthy snack bar
• L – E – T – I – a casual clothing line for young people
• Luma – a concierge service based in Monaco
• SMART 4 – providing sustainable portable power solutions to the small and remote events industry
• dg by Indigo Ltd – a casual clothing line with an emphasis on exclusivity and design
• Tennis For All – a non profit social enterprise that organises Tennis tournaments for underprivileged children who would otherwise be excluded from the sport
• Shania Swimwear – a range of swimwear for sunseeking young people
• SportSport – a fitness, coaching and motivation app

Yet another integral part of the IBCP, the Reflective Project is an opportunity for the students to explore an ethical dilemma in the world of business from a range of perspectives. They are required to produce a body of work that represents their research and lines of arguments, which can be in the form of an essay, documentary, photo essay or presentation. This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to explore and develop their ethical beliefs and understand that they may differ from those of other people from different socio-cultural and cultural backgrounds. This year, students have been exploring ethical dilemmas in the context of:

• The impact of AI on human labour and the future jobs market
• The gender pay gap in football
• Gender socialisation in the toy industry
• Supply chain ethics and issues
• The gender pay gap in basketball
• The relationship between fashion models and an increase in self harming amongst young girls

The IBCP is also driven by, and built around, the development of skills. Our IBCP students have been fully committed to the development of their communication skills. In addition to acquiring French as a second language (and for some this is a third or fourth language!), they are developing their knowledge of Spanish and Spanish culture as part of the IBCP Core curriculum.