Becoming an economist is one of the best career options to pursue in South Africa. There are many careers available to economists, and they can work in a wide range of industries. The field is constantly changing, so you will always be challenged and growing as an economist. In this guide, I will discuss how to become an economist in South Africa, including what courses to study at university and tips for getting your first job after graduation.
Begin at school
- Choose your subjects wisely
As an economics student, there are two main things you need to consider when choosing your degree: the first is whether you’re interested in the subject, and the second is whether it will help you get into a good university. If you have chosen your course based on both things, then congratulations! You’ve already made it further than most students do!
- Find out what skills employers want from economists
Once at university, make sure that each year of your degree focuses on different areas of economics that will give you a good chance at getting a job in the future. This means choosing courses on macroeconomics, microeconomics and statistics if possible (and definitely doing well in them).
Make the best matric choices possible
The first year of university is the most important, so make sure you’ve made the best matric choices possible.
When choosing your subjects, it’s important to consider three things: what you enjoy and are good at, what will get you into a top university and give you a good chance of getting a job when you finish, and lastly—even though it’s not as important—what could be useful in future careers. You can choose among these three options or mix and match them depending on your strengths and interests.
Find a suitable B.Com degree
It is important to note that the B.Com degree is not the only degree that you can study in order to become an economist. If you do not have a particular passion for business, then other degrees may be worth your consideration.
There are many types of economists who work in various industries and roles:
- Public sector economists – These people work in central and local government, advising on economic policy decisions.
- Private sector economists – Private sector economists advise businesses on how they should decide regarding their finances and growth opportunities. They also do research into consumer trends, which helps businesses understand what consumers want from them so that they can provide products or services that meet those demands more effectively than their competitors do (think about all those surveys you fill out online).
Choose the right honours degree
Once you’ve studied economics and are considering a specific honours degree, it’s important to choose the right one. It’s important that your choice of degree reflects both your interests and career goals.
- Select a degree that applies to your career path. For example, if you want to work as an economist with government agencies or the private sector, then an Honours Degree in Economics with specialisations in Macroeconomics or Econometrics might be best suited for you.
- Choose a university where there are high levels of employment after graduation. This will ensure that employers know about their reputation and graduates from this institution will have an advantage when seeking employment or further study opportunities at prestigious institutions overseas such as Oxford University or Cambridge University—both renowned for their academic excellence!
Enjoy your studies and get a good result!
You will learn a lot from your studies. If you enjoy the course, it will be easier for you to absorb the knowledge and develop an interest in the subject. This is important because if you enjoy something, it is easier for you to achieve your goals with it.
Achieving good results is essential in order to get into university or get jobs outside of academia. It is also useful for getting paid more at work if this happens before graduation (because salaries are typically determined by experience). Also, employers tend not to hire people who have not achieved good results in exams as they may think they would be bad employees because they did not do well academically despite evidence that shows otherwise!
Build a reputation for yourself as an economist.
Now that you have the basics down, it’s time to build a reputation for yourself as an economist.
- Get a good degree. The first step is to get a bachelor’s degree in economics and make sure that your grades are good enough to get into one of the top universities in South Africa. It also helps if you can study abroad during your undergraduate years and take some courses with well-known professors who might write letters of recommendation for you later on.
- Join student societies and take part in debates, competitions and conferences while at university – these will help improve your communication skills which are essential when studying economics or working as an economist later on in life.
The economics career is one of the most lucrative professions in South Africa.
If you’re considering a career in economics, it’s important to know that it’s one of the most lucrative professions in South Africa. According to Statistics South Africa, the average annual income for an economist is R440k.
Economists are also in great demand and have ample opportunities for promotion within their field. This means that if you become an economist and work hard at your job, there’s little chance that you’ll remain stagnant or stuck in one position for too long.
Conclusion
The economics career is one of the most lucrative professions in South Africa.
