High-flying NSCG Alumni Inspire Business Students
16 September 2026
On Tuesday 15th September, former Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) Business students Anna Lear, Katie Mills and Tino Mumvuri returned to the College’s Newcastle campus to inspire current students to kick off the academic year.
All three have been busy building strong careers since finishing their programmes at NSCG and now have roles at Barclays Bank, Paragon Bank and Aston Martin respectively.
Anna Lear, high-flyer and Vice President of Business Continuity and Resilience at Barclays Bank, spoke to students on the benefits of working for a large company committed to investing in staff wellbeing and invited students to get in touch for placement opportunities.
When asked how NSCG prepared her for future life Anna said, “The support I received was so important. I think people assume that once you leave college you’re not going to get that support anymore, but the people around you now, your tutors and peers, go on to be your colleagues in industry.”
Following the completion of her HNC and HND in Business at NSCG and a Foundation Apprenticeship at Barclays, Katie Mills, has found success as Business Continuity and IT Resilience Manager at Paragon Bank said, “Something NSCG gave me were the skills I needed to get involved with different industry areas, and BTECs allowed me to consider the work I’d be doing on a day-to-day basis. Make sure you enjoy your time here, don’t take it for granted - make friendships and connections and build those transferable skills.”
Tino, the most recent to graduate from NSCG is now completing the fourth year of his degree apprenticeship in Procurement with Aston Martin. He now works closely with the West Midlands Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (WMAAN) to promote apprenticeships and support young people as they explore potential routes.
When asked how best to respond to knockbacks when applying for competitive degree apprenticeships, Tino told students, “Resilience, just keep on going, keep applying, and keep an open mind on what industry area you want to go on to, you might get an opportunity in an area you didn’t expect.”
Throughout their talks, all three alumni expressed the importance of making the most of their time and opportunities at NSCG, alongside the benefits of degree apprenticeships and finding a company and career you’re passionate about.
We’re always looking for more alumni to show our students what’s possible, and you can find out more about connecting with current students and inspiring them to pursue careers in industry, by signing up to the NSCG alumni network.