Career-related Programme for Personal Growth: Louis

February 5, 2025

For Louis, the Career-related Programme (CP) is more than just an academic pathway. It’s an opportunity to blend his passions for Business and Sustainability while customizing his education to match his ambitions. What excites him most? The freedom to handpick subjects that fuel his curiosity and future aspirations. 

With a unique mix of high-level Biology, Chemistry, Math and Visual Arts, alongside hands-on, career-related experiences, Louis has crafted a learning journey that keeps him engaged and inspired. “The CP program allows me to be more creative with the subjects I choose,” he shares, highlighting how this flexibility empowers him to build a future on his own terms. 

 

But what does this tailored approach really look like in action? 

 

Louis, an 18-year-old from Iloilo, Philippines, shares his experience as a first-year CP student at UWC Maastricht. His journey started through his cousin, who had attended UWC Pearson. Intrigued by the opportunities, Louis’ family encouraged him to apply, recognizing the potential of the UWC movement and his passion for social work and community engagement.   

One feature of the CP that particularly resonates with Louis is the Personal and Professional Skills (PPS) course, which allows him to develop proficiencies outside the traditional academic curriculum. He has already completed an emergency first aid course and is now pursuing training in special needs education. “I want to be a pediatrician specializing in helping children who are deaf,” he shares, noting that the PPS course gives him the opportunity to gain skills directly related to his future goals.  Louis is also happy that a large part of the CP focuses on developing Leadership skills, including a specialist 2-day camp and ongoing opportunities to lead groups on practical projects. 

Louis describes the transition to UWC as a significant shift. Growing up in a rural area surrounded by nature, he went to a school nestled in the mountains. At UWC Maastricht, the city setting offers easier access to resources, but the biggest change has been the academic structure. In the Philippines, subjects changed every term in senior high school, while at UWC, students dive deeper into the same subjects over a longer period. Despite his strong academic background back home, Louis found himself facing new challenges at UWC, especially in the IB system. “I was really confident in my academics back home, but here, I found that it’s not that easy anymore,” he explains, highlighting how the program pushes him to his limits and helped him grow personally.  

While some mistakenly see CP as a less academic path, Louis is quick to point out that IBCP is not for students who simply want fewer subjects; it’s for those who have already figured out their personal path and want to focus on skills that align with their future. “CP is for people who know themselves already, or at least think they do,” Louis explains, encouraging prospective students to give it a try, that you might just find something you like. 

Are you curious to know more? Join our online info session about the CP! 

(Louis UWCM’26)