What the job entails:

Economists study how countries and businesses make money, and how they look after the money they have. They also study how other things such as health care services are shared out and used. The information that they study is called 'economics'. Economists use their knowledge of economics to help governments and businesses to improve the way they deal with money and services. Economists look carefully at the economics in different countries. These are called 'economies'. They read reports from banks and companies. These tell them whether the amount of money in a country's economy is going up or down. They try to work out what will happen next.

Routes and choices while at school:

If you want to be an economist then you will need to have a high level of education. Economists generally have a degree and many have postgraduate qualifications too. But the first thing to do is to get a good range of GCSEs at grades 4 or C or better, or equivalent qualifications. Maths and English are particularly important. The better the results you get, the more choice you will have when you apply to university or for apprenticeships.

Pay:

Pay when starting is about £20,000 to £25,000 per year. When experienced, it is about £30,000 to £50,000. For experts with a lot of experience, pay can rise to £70,000 or more. For some people it can be a lot more.

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