Whitehall is preparing to hire its first intake of apprentice economists to boost diversity at the heart of government, shaking up a profession often accused of failing to spot the financial crisis coming a decade ago.
An Oxbridge-educated maths genius might be the stereotypical candidate for a role advising ministers on economics in Whitehall, but the civil service wants to find 75 young people from all walks of life to take the positions instead.
People as young as 17 can apply, while a grade 6 in GCSE maths and three Cs or equivalent in any subject at A-level are required.
Whitehall has struggled in recent years to shift its reputation as a stuffy institution best characterised by the 1980s television series Yes Minister. The wider economics profession has also faced sharp criticism of its perceived groupthink tendencies and for being too wedded to neoclassical economic models, with particular focus on the way economics is taught at university.
Progress has been made in the civil service, which is attempting to become the most inclusive employer in Britain by 2020. The latest available figures show that 53.9% of civil servants are women, while the proportion of ethnic minority and disabled staff is just below that of the national average, at 12% and 10%.
More work is however required to boost diversity in some occupations and particular departments, including the Treasury. More men than women receive bonuses, while the median gender pay gap is 13.7%.
Any 17-year-olds who apply to become apprentice economists can expect a starting salary in excess of £20,000, or more than £22,000 for those in London.
The latest hiring spree is also designed to show the government is committed to driving up the numbers of young people who start their professional life without having gone to university.
They will join the Government Economic Service, working across various different Whitehall departments including the Treasury, work and pensions, business, energy and industrial strategy, education and environment, food and rural affairs. Positions will be based across the country, while those hired will also study on a programme delivered in partnership with the University of Kent.
Philip Hammond, the chancellor, said: “I want talented young people from all backgrounds to be able to access careers in government.
“As the Treasury launches the government’s first-ever economics apprenticeship, we will grow a new generation of economists who can apply their skills and knowledge to the opportunities and challenges in this country.”
