Meet Ms Mahreen Rashdi: Helping NAISAK Students Shape Their Future

For Ms Mahreen Rashdi, Head of Careers and PSHE at NAISAK, preparing students for the future starts long before they apply to university. It begins with helping them discover their strengths, explore their interests and recognise the opportunities available to them.

Since joining NAISAK in 2025, Ms Rashdi has been working to make careers education a more integral part of school life. Her vision is to empower students to make informed decisions about their education and future careers, while developing the confidence, experience and practical skills to turn their ambitions into reality.

Careers Guidance That Starts Early

Ms Rashdi believes that students should begin exploring career possibilities well before choosing their GCSE and A-level subjects. Through careers-focused PSHE lessons, project-based learning and the Unifrog platform, students are encouraged to reflect on their interests, skills and aptitudes before making important academic decisions.

Her approach helps students connect the subjects they study today with the opportunities they may wish to pursue tomorrow, giving them a clearer sense of direction as they progress through school.

She is also expanding opportunities for students to engage directly with universities, colleges and employers. Building on the success of NAISAK’s annual Careers Fair, the programme is growing to introduce students to a wider range of academic pathways, professions and work-experience opportunities.

Beyond these events, Ms Rashdi provides personalised support through weekly Careers Clinics and one-to-one guidance sessions, helping students navigate university applications, prepare their references and take practical steps towards their chosen pathways.

Developing More Than Academic Achievement

For Ms Rashdi, preparing students for success means looking beyond grades alone. She is passionate about helping young people develop the leadership, communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills that will serve them throughout their lives.

Her student mentorship programme encourages young leaders to reflect on their experiences, recognise their achievements and develop the confidence to take on greater responsibility. Meanwhile, the school’s Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) programme gives students opportunities to volunteer, contribute to their community and gain practical experience in a supportive environment.

These initiatives help students build meaningful experiences that can strengthen their university applications while developing a deeper understanding of responsibility, service and their own potential.

Experience That Makes a Difference

Ms Rashdi brings extensive experience in education, having worked in qualifications development and curriculum design at Pearson, founded an educational tuition business and taught in the classroom since 2017. Her background gives her a broad understanding of how academic choices connect with future study and career opportunities.

She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Leadership and Education, with research focused on the student mentorship programme she developed at NAISAK.

Ultimately, her goal is to ensure that every student feels equipped to make decisions about their future with greater clarity and confidence.

As Ms Rashdi puts it, “A little bit of hand-holding can go a very long way.”

Through early guidance, meaningful experiences and individual support, she is helping NAISAK students look beyond the classroom, discover their potential and take confident steps towards the futures they want to build.