Living in Dubai we are surrounded by 5 star hospitality with many large retail chains from around the world having a presence here, but until recently giving our children a chance to train with these companies have meant them going back to their home countries. However, now on our doorstep there is a chance for 16 – 19 year olds to follow a more career related program in combination with an IB education. International Baccalaureate Career related Certificate (IBCC) embodies the educational principles of the International Baccalaureate with other programmes that address the needs of students who wish to be engaged in a career related education.

IBCC is another pathway to A Levels and IB Diploma Programme and is offered here in Dubai by the Deira International School, Dubai Festival City, Dubai. At present this is the only school in Dubai offering this programme and is also one of only 11 pilot schools for the IBCC around the world. DIS is in the 3rd year of delivering this course.

The course starts after children have finished their IGCSE’s/GCSE’s, however students are allowed to apply even if they have done another curriculum. The minimum entry requirement to register is 2 C’s to A* (IGCSE/GCSE). Each student is interviewed separately by a panel of three educators which include the Principal, Deputy Principal, IB Coordinator and/or CAS Coordinator. The school in the past has been accepting 6-9 students, however, depending on the interest, this number will be increased to about 10-15 in 2011. The numbers are kept low due to the need to place students in jobs throughout the course.

IBCC is a two year course with students studying 2 subjects out of the IB Diploma program (currently they do 3) one of which should be a 2nd language.

DIS is privileged to be able to make use of the Al Futtaim Group and their Training Center. Students go off campus twice a week one for training and one for job placement. They offer Retail and Hospitality (IKEA, Marks and Spencer, Toys ‘R’ Us, Plug Ins, Intercontinental Hotel and this year they hope to focus more on Hospitality and expand to possibly include the Crown Plaza, Al Badia Golf Club and the Al Areesh Club. In the second year they go to the job placements of their choice twice per week.

In addition to this the students also study the following courses:

• Approaches to Learning Course (Critical Thinking)
• A Reflective Project of 3000 words on an Ethical Issue
• An English Language Certificate – British English Certificate (BEC)
• Leisure and Tourism (AS)
• Business Math (internally assessed)
• Creativity Action and Service (CAS)

BTEC BUSINESS and BTEC HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM will be offered as from 2012.  Therefore on successful completion of the course students would leave with two AS certificates, IBCC with two/three IB Subjects, a research project and BEC English Certificate. As from 2012, students will have a BTEC qualification with the value added of the IBCC and an English Language qualification.
Not all students are the same and not all want to follow an academic path to higher education, your child maybe a child who learns hands on rather than by reading it in books. Every student has something different to offer and this course might just be the different route your child wishes to follow.

For more information contact Deira International School at, 0097142325552, fax: 0097142325151 or contact the IB Coordinator kpowell@disdubai.ae