Shaheedul Islam

Shaheedul's personal statement:

I studied at FGCS from 2014 - 2019 and then attended Brampton Manor Sixth Form to study Maths, Further Maths and Physics as A - Levels. After leaving sixth form, I decided to take a gap year due to not getting into the universities I wanted as well as to work for a year in order to help with my tuition fees. I was able to secure a job at FGCS for the year, starting off as an intervention tutor but later developing into a much more interesting and varied role across multiple schools such as Cumberland and Waterside. I will now be entering my first year of Mathematics at UCL.

I have been involved with the CST for coming up to six years now and have been a part of almost every level of its infrastructure: from being a student for five years to being in-class support, being responsible for my own set group of Year 11 maths and science students, working with head of departments across multiple subjects and schools and the head of curriculum to develop curriculum booklets and plans for the sciences and computer science and now working on standardising and automating how data is captured and analysed across the trust to allow for teachers and leaders to make well-informed decisions and changes.

This job has been absolutely perfect for me as I have been given the independence to explore and execute ideas I previously did not have the facilities to implement, such as my science and computer science model answer booklets, whilst also giving me the opportunity to always ask for help and develop areas which I did not have as much experience in. Previously I was very unsure as to what career I would like to pursue, with the de facto job associated with a maths degree being finance, but my latest work at the CST has helped me see that a career in data science and software development would be perfect for me. Taking a year out and working for the trust is undoubtedly the best decision I have made in terms of forming connections, developing skills and supporting myself financially and it is something I wish other alumni can benefit from.  

I think the alumni program is the perfect avenue for ex-students to still play a part in the CST ecosystem, giving them the opportunity to earn good money and develop skills through tuition and similar roles to what I have done this year as well as ensuring all alumni form a close-knit network whereby we can ask each other for help and advice in the future.