Where could economics take you?
Studying economics can lead to a diverse range of careers in many different fields. Take our quiz to discover how you could use economics to pursue your passion!
It’s the year 2030. News reporters have just interviewed you about an exciting breakthrough in your work. What have you done?
Figured out the most efficient way to deal with the next pandemic
Helped to reduce the cost of producing clean energy
Improved gender equality in Australian workplaces
Written a paper explaining how share prices respond to natural disasters
Helped farmers in developing nations increase their incomes
Now imagine you’re flying out for a work trip tomorrow. Where are you going?
A political summit in Canberra to debate with decision-makers
The Murray-Darling Basin, to see how the drought is affecting farmers
California, for work experience with Google’s marketing analytics team
Samoa, to design and build cyclone-resilient homes with a non-governmental organisation
Back to the present. When you’re on social media, how do you spend your time?
Contacting your MP with ways to improve your community
Clicking to attend the next climate change rally
Considering why your friends have jumped on the latest craze
Keeping up to date on business and share market news
Promoting crowdfunding for a clean water program in India
You’ve been asked to help improve one thing about your school. What would you change?
Support students who can’t afford a laptop
Reduce consumption of plastic
Improve students’ mental health
Invest in new technology that saves the school money
Partner with African schools to improve their learning opportunities
Grandma gives you $100 in your birthday card (thanks Nan!). What do you do with it?
Spend it at a local community market instead of at big shopping centre
Buy a worm farm for the family to help reduce food waste
Give $20 to each of your closest friends and observe how they spend it
Invest it in stocks in a new tech company
Donate it to a healthcare charity in Brazil
Improve people’s quality of life (Public policy economics)
Your interest in the big issues affecting people’s lives – such as health, social welfare and education – could mean a career in public policy is a good option. Economists working in public policy investigate and advise on ways governments can improve people’s quality of life. They consider things like: how to reduce long-term unemployment; how welfare policies can reduce income inequality; the economic ‘cost’ of poor health.
Where you’ll work: government, central banks, universities, think tanks, health and welfare organisations
Read all about Careers in Economics in our free e-magazine here.
Where you’ll work: government, central banks, universities, think tanks, health and welfare organisations
Read all about Careers in Economics in our free e-magazine here.
Save money by saving the planet (Environmental economics)
You care about our planet’s future, so environmental economics is totes for you! Economists who work in this field research the possible impacts of climate change and the ways that renewable resources could be used to help people live more sustainably. They investigate questions such as: how would homes and transport be affected if the world warms by two degrees? Could financial incentives encourage people to recycle more? What’s an affordable alternative to plastic?
Where you’ll work: government, major corporations, think tanks, environmental agencies and activist groups
Read all about Careers in Economics in our free e-magazine here.
Where you’ll work: government, major corporations, think tanks, environmental agencies and activist groups
Read all about Careers in Economics in our free e-magazine here.
Understand why people make decisions – and their impact (Behavioural economics)
You’re more interested in how people think and act than about money and markets. Behavioural economics applies principles from psychology to analyse why individuals or institutions make decisions, such as why consumers choose to buy, or not to buy, a product. Behavioural economists analyse data sets to find the answers to: how biases might influence people’s decision to buy brand
X and avoid brand Y? How the display of products in a supermarket might influence what people spend money on?
Where you’ll work: large corporates, government, banks, universities
Read all about Careers in Economics in our free e-magazine here.
X and avoid brand Y? How the display of products in a supermarket might influence what people spend money on?
Where you’ll work: large corporates, government, banks, universities
Read all about Careers in Economics in our free e-magazine here.
Monitor money and markets (Financial economics)
They say money makes the world go around – you want to know how and why. How might a disruption to the economy affect Australia? How do we get money from savers to borrowers so they can invest and help the economy grow? Financial economists are interested in how financial markets affect the real world.
Where you’ll work: central bank, commercial banks and other financial institutions, government, universities
Read all about Careers in Economics in our free e-magazine here.
Where you’ll work: central bank, commercial banks and other financial institutions, government, universities
Read all about Careers in Economics in our free e-magazine here.
Help the world’s poorest (Development economics)
You’re a global thinker and passionate about human rights, social justice and reducing inequality – so you might want to consider a career in development economics. This field is about improving the living standards of people in developing countries. It considers policies to improve the health, education
and working conditions of people in world’s poorest nations. Development economists answer questions such as: how much financial aid should be given to poor countries and how can it best be used? How can better education help people in developing countries to prosper? How can an immunisation program reduce infant mortality in Africa? How can new technologies help farmers increase crop yields?
Where you’ll work: government, international organisations (for example, the UN), charities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
and working conditions of people in world’s poorest nations. Development economists answer questions such as: how much financial aid should be given to poor countries and how can it best be used? How can better education help people in developing countries to prosper? How can an immunisation program reduce infant mortality in Africa? How can new technologies help farmers increase crop yields?
Where you’ll work: government, international organisations (for example, the UN), charities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)