Ad hoc economist Review

I support in the calculation of official statistics and analysis of large datasets. This role includes: developing code to clean and analyse data, producing documentation about the methods I am using and the results I found and running suggestions/ findings by stakeholders

University of Kent organise the degree well with structured modules and a good mix of learning. Most apprentices take one study day a week (usually Friday) and it is clear in nearly all modules what you do during the study day (though there is some discretion for apprentices around how they divide their time between modules and how much extra time they spend studying). There is a clear progression through the modules the university offers with earlier modules helping you get to grips with the basics and later modules building more on critical thinking and more challenging economic concepts. Regular check-in meetings with university advisors and sign off documents help with keeping track of progress I have made in work against the apprenticeship standards preparing me for interviews at the end of the apprenticeship. There are currently a few teething problems with the final assessment in the apprenticeship which has been problematic for apprentices completing the course.

My department offers lots of support options including a buddy scheme to help new people settle in, mentoring which can be useful for the degree, online courses to help upskill in coding (and people in the office/ your team are always happy to lend a helping hand) and Teams forums where you can ask questions. My department also offers considerable wellbeing support including support networks, guidance on SharePoint websites and buddies.

The University provides regular check-in meetings every 8 weeks to make sure you are progressing as planned against the apprenticeship standards. Lecturers make considerable effort to make themselves available through Teams/ email if students have any questions about modules/ assignments.

I think with economics it is best to think about the skills you obtain from university rather than what the content of the modules actually is. The university course generally prepares you well for work training you up in writing (for assignments), explaining economic concepts, data analysis (including econometrics) and critical thinking (in later years). Lecturers are great at providing constructive feedback which helps me improve the quality of my work in the workplace. The one area the course falls short in right now is coding. Many economists are now moving on from using Excel but the University course is still predominantly taught using Excel (besides econometrics modules). However, to some extent coding has to be learned on the job.

Yes

The economist degree apprenticeship programme is a fantastic opportunity to combine learning economics with valuable workplace experience. I have learned a lot through my work which I would not have picked up in a regular degree and the skills from the degree and workplace complement one another well. The government has made more of an effort than most economics employers to recruit apprentices based outside London. Working for the government also provides considerable job security, a good annual leave package, good workplace flexibility and a job role with a clear real world benefit.