Aliya Garraway

Friendly, enthusiastic and hard-working graduate with experience in customer service, tutoring, event organisation and working with diverse groups of people. Confident communicating with customers and creating a welcoming environment. Quick to learn, reliable and available immediately for flexible shifts, including evenings and weekends. Full UK driving licence.

Mentor at The Catalyst Collective (2025-11 – Present)

Mentors are matched with a student in years 9-13 to guide them through setting and meeting SMART goals to progress towards their future aspirations. For the 2025/6 academic year, I am mentoring a Year 9 student with aspirations of studying paediatric medicine and helping them to improve on skills such as time management, public speaking, and leadership.

Speaker and Lab Demonstrator – BURSThrough workshop at Barts Cancer Institute (2025-07 – 2025-07)

Assisted with the first Black and Under-Represented into Science Training (BURST) workshop for Year 12 students interested in science careers.

• Delivered an interactive talk encouraging the students to pursue STEM at university, sharing my own journey into science
• Volunteered as a lab demonstrator where I assisted a small group of students through an experiment involving serial dilutions and gel electrophoresis

Evening Tutor at Tecnis Academy (2026-02 – 2026-07)

Tutoring students in years 3 and 5 in Maths and Non-Verbal reasoning. Sourced learning materials and planned engaging lessons in accordance with the organisation's Scheme of Work. Built positive relationships with students and parents. Adapted communication to individual needs.

• Certifications completed: Autism Awareness, Safeguarding Children (level 2), Equality and diversity, Online Safety – Risks to children, and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – Core Training (for Staff)

Lab Placement – Tumour Biology at Barts Cancer Institute (2026-01 – 2026-02)

Two-week lab placement in the tumour biology lab of Barts Cancer Institute.

• Learning lab skills and techniques
• Assisting with the delivery of a lab practical for MSc students
• Observing tumour research methods

Lead organiser – Black history month at Queen Mary Students' Union (2024-08 – 2024-11)

Solely responsible for planning and executing Queen Mary Students' Union's Black History Month liberation campaign.

• Liaised with staff and students to improve quality and attendance of events
• Ensured that union procedures were correctly followed for funding applications, health and safety management, and space booking

Peer Leader – Peer Led Team Learning at School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences – Queen Mary University of London (2023-09 – 2024-12)

Led regular sessions with small groups of students for the modules Essential Skills for Biologists, Basic Biochemistry, and Research Methods and Communication.

• Facilitated collaboration between students and guided them through set worksheets
• Provided feedback to lecturers for module improvement

BAME Representative at Queen Mary Students' Union (2023-08 – 2024-07)

Attended regular students' union meetings and Queen Mary University of London's Racial Equality and Action Group to represent and advocate for BAME students.

• Directly assisted the Vice President of Welfare and Communities and the Liberation Intern
• Collaborated with other student representatives to enhance university-wide student support
• Welcomed and supported students at events
• Answered questions and resolved issues
• Worked with university staff to organise successful events
• Communicated confidently with large groups

Head Student at Rainham Mark Grammar School (2021-07 – 2022-07)

Led a team of twenty-nine prefects, supervising their individual duties and delegating tasks when necessary.

• Assisted with the re-establishment and restructuring of Student Parliament after COVID
• Assisted with the integration of the new headteacher and Year 12 students into the school
• Organising school-wide and year-specific events

Online retail business owner at Self-employed

Packed and dispatched customer orders. Responded promptly to customer enquiries. Managed stock. Processed online sales. Maintained high presentation standards. Relevant skills: sourcing, procurement, and management of stock; research and analysis; order processing, fulfilment, logistics, and customer service.

Podcast Production, hosting, and digital communications at Self-employed

Created, hosted, and produced a podcast aimed at empowering the younger generations and covering a range of topics encompassing EDI themes.

• Amassed over 2,000 downloads
• Awarded a diversity award from Young People United
• Featured and interviewed on BBC Radio Kent

BSC (HONS) in Medical Genetics – Queen Mary University of London (2022-09 – 2025-07)

A-Levels – Rainham Mark Grammar School (2020-09 – 2022-08)

GCSEs – Highsted Grammar School (2015-09 – 2020-08)