Producing rigorous, relevant and impactful economic analysis to drive decision-making at all levels.
Apprentices develop the analytical skills and economic knowledge needed to produce evidence-based analysis that informs business and policy decisions. The programme covers microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, data analysis, statistical and econometric methods, and written communication of findings to non-specialist audiences. Apprentices learn to frame economic questions, select appropriate methods, interpret results, and present conclusions with clarity. Because it is an integrated degree, academic study and workplace learning run alongside each other throughout, leading to both a degree and occupational competence.
Working as part of an economics team, apprentices typically collate and clean datasets, run quantitative analysis using tools such as Excel, Python, R, or Stata, and help produce briefing notes or reports for senior economists or clients. Tasks might include modelling market size, analysing spending data, drafting sections of policy papers, or summarising trends in response to a specific business or government question. Most of this work is done collaboratively, with apprentices contributing to pieces of analysis rather than leading them independently at this stage.
On completing this apprenticeship, graduates are well placed to take on junior or mid-level economist roles with full professional standing. Common job titles include economist, analyst, economic consultant, and policy adviser. Employers span HM Treasury, the Bank of England, the Competition and Markets Authority, local and devolved government, economic consultancies, major banks, and large corporates with in-house economics functions. With experience, progression moves toward senior economist, principal consultant, or chief economist positions. The integrated degree also provides a foundation for postgraduate study, including MSc Economics programmes.
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No training providers currently listed for this standard.
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads to roles such as Economist, Junior Economist, Economic Analyst, or Research Analyst. In government, that often means joining as an economist within the Government Economic Service. In the private sector, entry-level titles such as Economic Consultant or Analyst are common. Some completers move into data-focused roles, including Economic Data Analyst or Policy Analyst, particularly in financial services, regulatory bodies, or think tanks.
Within three to five years, many economists progress to Senior Economist, Senior Analyst, or Associate Consultant level, taking on greater responsibility for designing analysis and advising decision-makers directly. Beyond that, two broad tracks emerge. Those on a leadership path move into Principal Economist, Chief Economist, or Head of Economics roles. Those who go deeper into a specialism might become recognised experts in areas such as competition economics, labour market analysis, environmental economics, or macroeconomic forecasting, often at director or partner level in consultancies.
Government departments and agencies are significant hirers, including the Treasury, the Bank of England, the Competition and Markets Authority, and the Office for Budget Responsibility. The private sector draws on economists across financial services, economic consultancies, large infrastructure firms, and utilities. The third sector and international institutions also employ economists, particularly in research and policy roles. Employer size ranges from small specialist consultancies to large public sector bodies with substantial in-house economics teams.
Because this is an integrated degree apprenticeship, assessment runs through the programme rather than as a single end-point event at the close. The apprentice develops economic knowledge, analytical skills and professional behaviours while working in a real role, with academic study and workplace practice running together across the duration. Before completing, the apprentice must pass a readiness check confirming they have met the required standard across all elements. Final assessment then confirms genuine occupational competence, not just academic achievement. Assessment models for several standards are currently being updated under Skills England; check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
The integrated nature of this apprenticeship means evidence of competence needs to build continuously, not be assembled at the last minute. Apprentices should keep records of real work throughout, such as analysis they have contributed to, briefing documents written, data sets handled, and any presentations or reports delivered to senior colleagues. Regular review points with both the employer and the training provider help identify gaps early. Starting those conversations about readiness well before the end of the programme gives time to address any areas where the evidence is thin.
Look for providers with an achievement rate above 65% on their FATP profile; for a 42-month integrated degree this matters, because attrition is common when academic and workplace demands run in parallel. Beyond the headline numbers, check that the curriculum explicitly covers econometrics and data analysis tools used in practice, such as Stata, R, or Python, not just theoretical economics. Strong employer satisfaction scores suggest the provider keeps workplace supervisors genuinely involved in progress reviews. Learner reviews are worth reading closely: apprentices who mention applying economic methods to real work problems are a better signal than generic comments about enjoyment.
Be cautious if a provider can't tell you which employers have previously taken on apprentices under this standard, or can't point to alumni working in economist roles in the public sector, consultancy, or financial services. Vague answers about how the degree curriculum maps to workplace competencies suggest the academic and work components are running in parallel without real integration. A high apprentice volume combined with a falling achievement rate deserves scrutiny. Equally, if the provider's curriculum material hasn't been updated to reflect modern data analysis practice, the degree may leave graduates behind peers hired through conventional routes.
Applicants must be employed in a role that requires economic analysis. There are no fixed national entry requirements set by government, so employers and training providers set their own academic criteria. In practice, most programmes expect strong A-level results, often including mathematics. Apprentices must not already hold a degree at the same or higher level in a related subject. Candidates already working in an analytical role, including school leavers or career changers, may be considered.
The typical duration is 42 months. Apprentices are employed throughout and combine on-the-job experience with structured off-the-job learning, which forms part of the contracted working week. The exact split between workplace activity and study is subject to ongoing revision under current Skills England reforms, so check the up-to-date specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education page at gov.uk before planning a programme.
Before taking the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, a point at which the employer, training provider, and apprentice agree that the required knowledge, skills, and behaviours have been demonstrated to the required standard. Assessment models for many apprenticeship standards are currently being updated, so the precise end-point assessment method for this standard should be confirmed against the current specification on gov.uk. The integrated degree element means the university qualification and apprenticeship assessment are aligned.
The funding band for this standard is £23,000, which is the maximum that can be drawn from the apprenticeship levy or claimed through co-investment. Levy-paying employers use funds held in their Digital Apprenticeship Service account. Non-levy-paying employers typically contribute 5 per cent of the training cost, with the government covering the remainder. Employers with fewer than 50 staff taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing, as the government funds the full cost.
Day-to-day work involves gathering and cleaning datasets, running quantitative analysis, interpreting results using economic theory, and writing briefing notes or reports for senior economists. Depending on the employer, this could mean modelling market size for a private sector client, preparing material for a government budget submission, assessing the economics of infrastructure investment, or analysing how regulatory change affects an organisation. Most work is team-based, with the apprentice supporting more experienced economists on live projects.
Completion awards a full honours degree in economics alongside the apprenticeship certificate, which opens progression routes across private, public, and third sector employers. Many graduates move into more senior analytical or advisory roles within the same organisation. Others progress to postgraduate study, professional qualifications in economics or finance, or specialist graduate schemes. Civil service analytical fast-stream roles, economic consultancy positions, and roles in central banks or regulators are all common next steps.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 323.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.