Hannah Dudley from Toothill School came to NTU for her work experience in October 2012 as an Economics research assistant. Here's how she found it;
Why economics? The
dictionary said it was the study of the science that deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, or the material welfare of humankind. Sounds a bit dry right. I was in year 11 and
thinking about A level options with only a hazy idea of what I might like to
study at university. I knew I had an initial interest in economics (I was
studying it at GCSE) but was unaware of the bearing it had on every aspect of
our lives.
Take for example the relationships the UK has with other nations,
always underpinned by economics in the transfer of wealth, capital, goods and
services between them. It was a global language that I knew little about, and
with the collapse of global markets in 2008 it seemed as if this language was
going to become more important than ever. News coverage focused on the
impending doom of the world’s largest economies, suddenly economics was having
a very real impact on my life. Governments were forced to make critical
decisions – tuition fees hike anyone? I needed to find out more.
My interest peaked and I set about
looking for any hands on, practical work experience I could get. I knew my school had links with Nottingham
Trent University so I contacted NTU about a potential economics placement. The
placement was set for a week in autumn at the Newton Building, as it approached
my nervous excitement began to grow (with emphasis on the nervousness).
On my
first day I met the Professor I would be shadowing, he introduced the topics we
would be discussing including the economics surrounding the European
Union. I had full access to the
university library and picked up the biggest economics textbook I could find!
During the week I had the chance to discuss the issues surrounding the EU and
the structure of the various institutions with the professor on a one to one
basis.
The week greatly improved my confidence and the depth of discussion
provided a valuable insight into the economic landscape of modern society. Most
importantly the placement developed my analytical and critical thinking skills.
The economic issues facing society and institutions are rarely clear, and
multiple opinions are presented on any one issue, therefore it was incredibly
useful to develop skills to better understand these problems. Overall it proved
to be a fantastic experience and a great introduction to university life.
Since the placement I have used my
improved analytical and critical thinking skills to enter the Royal Economic
Society Young Economist of the Year Essay competition. The competition involved
researching and writing an essay on the economic implications for an
Independent Scotland. To my surprise I came joint third in the competition
winning £250 prize money and an invitation to the Royal Economic Society public
lecture. There is no doubt that participating in the placement provided me with
the passion and skills to work at this level.
My advice to anyone interested in
pursuing similar subjects is to try and participate in any programmes offered,
like those at NTU – they improve confidence and develop analytical skills as
well as providing a valuable insight into university life.
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Author: Hannah Dudley
Editor(s): Siba Munsanje
2 comments
Thank you for share this informative post.
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