Become a Welsh Assembly Government economist
The Welsh Assembly Government develops and implements policies that reflect the particular needs of the people of Wales. The Welsh Assembly Government’s responsibilities cover a wide area, including health, education, economic development and transport.
Being an Economist at the Welsh Assembly Government is a challenging and rewarding role. You’ll receive one of the best training and benefits packages around, with a real chance of rapid and significant career progression into roles across the civil service in Wales and beyond.
Opportunities also exist to benefit from a number of secondments working with policy divisions developing high profile strategies and undertaking reviews across a number of different areas. Economists have recently worked on the Wanless review of health and social care in Wales and are currently on secondment to an independent commission reviewing funding and finance arrangements in Wales.
What do our economists do?
The wide range of the Welsh Assembly Government’s responsibilities gives its economists an unrivalled opportunity to gain experience across policy areas. Our central team is organised into small branches covering:-
- health;
- agricultural, rural and environmental economics;
- economic development and transport
- briefing and analysis;
- value for money;
- economic research
Current economic work includes:
- Appraising industrial business projects.
- Giving economic advice on spending the European Structural Funds effectively and on methods of evaluating their impact.
- Reviewing business cases for investment in health and other public services in order to maximise value-for-money.
- Giving economic advice on policies to tackle climate change.
- Managing economic research on options for generating tidal energy in the Seven Estuary.
- Reviewing the current approach to the distribution of public resources to the Welsh Assembly Government and the scope to have tax varying powers as well as greater powers to borrow.
- Briefing Welsh Assembly Ministers on the economy in Wales.
- Analysis of long run socio economic and social trends in Wales to inform policy-making.
More information
For more information about being assistant economist at the Welsh Assembly Government, contact Sara Ahmad (details below). To discuss work as an economic adviser contact Andrew Hobden.
You can contact Sara on Tel 029 20 826160 or e-mail Sara.ahmad@wales.gsi.gov.uk. Andrew is on 02920 823349 or e-mail AndrewHobden@wales.gsi.gov.uk.
Training and Development
Economics
- Potential for sponsorship to do a Masters in economics.
- Access to a range of short courses, lectures and seminars hosted by government, think tanks and other organisations across the UK.
General
- A wide range of government run courses promoting professional development.
Pay and Conditions
Assistant Economist: - Starting from £27,654 with extra available for relevant experience
Economic Adviser - Starting from £44,000
37 hour week and 31 days leave per year (plus privilege days and bank holidays).
Assistant Economists
Successful applicants are members of the Government Economic Service and work for the Welsh Assembly Government. They are assessed against competencies required by both. Forms of assessment include online aptitude tests, presentations, interviews, and written exercises. You may also apply as a provisional assistant economist with the expectation that you will apply for a permanent placement and go through the Assessment Centre with 12 months.