Assistant Economist Review

Data analysis on the supply side of the economy, using Excel, coding in R, and creating notes and presentations in Word and PowerPoint.

Learnt R from scratch and can now create animated graphics and complex merging code. Developed Excel skills greatly. Also learnt in depth on the UK's macroeconomic policies and current economic situation.

Lots of social opportunities, with co-workers and other apprentices. Very worthwhile and fulfilling when projects you have directly worked on end up as policy, or taken as a serious precaution.

HM Treasury handles the work side well, whilst the Uni of Kent handles theirs. It is very well organised although a slight oversight for us having exams due during budget week, but due to political uncertainty when creating the timetables it's unavoidable.

A lot; the majority has come from work over the university, as your split is 80:20.

Uni of Kent give a good training course, and within the Treasury you can call upon experts in the field through team messages to get second opinions.

It's a good knowledge bank to have of complex theory and statistical equations that I know where to find when I need to use them in work.

Yes, there are coffee rotas, lunchtime events, networking events, music concerts and groups (I have just joined a jazz band) and plenty of clubs - I've joined mostly languages and history groups so far.

Yes

It almost feels like a no-brainer; you can earn, have a free education, not have to worry about debt, and gain a lot of valuable work experience which puts you ahead of your cohort by the end of it. Plus all the connections and general attitude to work.

Make sure that economics and politics is something that does interest you, and you feel you can dig into what most matters. Everything else will fall into place naturally.