My career: Nick Munro

The number of people who can lay claim to designing a teapot for Queen Elizabeth II is probably fewer than you could count on one hand, but Nick Munro is on that list. Being commissioned as designer of the Diamond Jubilee Teapot for HRH the Queen in 2012 is just one accolade he has been bestowed with in his career, along with designing the official London 2012 Olympic Games silverware and seeing his creations housed in some of the country’s most prestigious establishments.

“I've lived the life of a serial entrepreneur. When I left Nottingham I went to the Royal College of Art because I wanted to embrace creativity and explore design and innovation. Then I set up my own business – and various others since! More recently, I've gone back into academia, as Visiting Professor of Design at Imperial College London."

Days of future past

“It's great to be back in Nottingham because I can sincerely say I loved my time here. So it's a privilege to be back, it's very nostalgic. Equally, it's great to be meeting people who are planning and strategising the future of the university. The idea of ‘days past’ is lovely, very nostalgic. But what is more compelling to me is what the ‘days future’ look like.

“I think the interplay between the two is critical – appreciating what you've experienced, understanding it, getting a perspective on it, but then utilising it in order that you can make good decisions about the future. You can start to find a pathway forward, navigating towards positive outcomes that deliver meaningful educational experiences and ultimately contribute to ‘UK plc’, if not the world.”

“Nobody cruises a degree at Nottingham, but what you develop from climbing that mountain is confidence. You may have to really focus and commit, but you are capable. You take forward an innate confidence that the achievement gives you, so when you are navigating the world if your plans don't always work out, the resilience, the staying power of getting through a degree is a significant asset.

“What also emerges after you graduate is that whereas during your degree, where you are operating in a lane that is quite focused, after you graduate it's embracing your wider skill set that becomes the determinant of how you progress in your career."

Building your soft skills

“These skills are typically people related – so what are your communication skills like, can you offer leadership? Can you inspire, create, think strategically and can you plan? I think the wider, some might say softer skills, where you have the confidence to spread your wings, embrace the world, be approachable, outgoing, friendly, let’s say.

“These things have a significant bearing on how much support other people will be willing to give you, because you can't do anything on your own which is ambitious. You need to be able to find people that will assist you. They're not going to do that unless they want to, and wanting to do that is aligned with all of the above.”

Win or learn

“The writer Maya Angelou said, ‘I never lose. I either win or learn.’ I think you will lose from time to time – you've got to take that on the chin and just accept that it's going to hurt. But the idea of reflection and that you will learn from your mistakes, I think that's true. You've got to pay attention to them as well, not get too crushed by them, then move on to the next and the next thing. Move forward and don’t be too hard on yourself.”

"My top three career tips? Confidence, determination and friendship!"