• Bachelor’s degree, University and course: Economics with Employment Experience at University of Sheffield
• Master’s degree, University and course: Economic History at LSE
• Capital Economics Graduate Scheme, applicable dates: 2013 – 2015

Why did you apply to join the Capital Economics graduate scheme?

I wanted to be an applied macroeconomist, and having been a customer of Capital Economics while on my placement year, I thought that it would be an excellent place to work. There were also a few reasons why the graduate scheme looked better than schemes at other organisations. The first was the chance to do a Masters degree in Economic History, paid for by the company. There was little discussion of history in my undergraduate degree, and I was sure that a better understanding of the past would help me to become a better economist. The second reason was the opportunity to work in different areas of the company while on the scheme, which would broaden my knowledge and help me to discover which areas of macroeconomics I found most interesting. I would then be able to make more informed decisions about my career.

What have you worked on while on the graduate scheme?

My first rotations were on the UK and Global Markets teams, where I carried out research on the possible impact of Scottish independence. Next I moved to the Sub-Saharan Africa team, where I was also able to write about broader themes across emerging economies. My final rotation was on the Europe team, which gave me the opportunity to cover the euro-zone and some Nordic countries.

What have you worked on since progressing from the graduate scheme?

When I finished my rotations, I stayed on the Europe team. I was soon given responsibility for covering the Italian economy, as well as writing about the ECB. What’s more, I helped to set up our Nordic & Swiss service. I am now a senior economist, helping to lead our analysis and forecasts for the euro-zone and ECB, presenting to clients, and representing the company on TV and radio.

Since 2017, I have also run the graduate scheme with a colleague. As a former graduate trainee, this has been hugely rewarding and enjoyable.