Economics Degree Apprenticeship

Summary

Ofwat are delighted to launch our first-degree apprenticeships in 2024. Our apprenticeship programme will offer a truly versatile role, great insights into how an economic regulator works with excellent training enabling you to create a solid foundation for your career as an economist.

Wage

£25,301 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Excellent employer pension contributions 25 days’ annual leave (increasing to 30 with each year of service) plus bank holidays and an extra 2.5 days of privilege leave

Training course

Professional economist (integrated degree) (level 6)

Hours

This post is full-time (37 hours per week), flexible working. Monday - Friday. Total hours per week: 37

37 hours a week

Possible start date

Monday 8 September

Duration

5 years

Positions available

2

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

With the opportunity to support work in a range of areas, you’ll develop a broad skillset, important to many roles in the world of economic regulation. You’ll be part of a multi-disciplinary team and apply the principles of economics (what you are learning on your apprenticeship) in the real world. The work we do is complex and has direct implications for customers and the environment. You’ll be given the opportunity to demonstrate your potential from the outset and your passion for economics will see you relish the opportunity.

You will be supported throughout your program by your people leader, mentor/ buddy, Early Careers partner and university. On your 5-year journey you will learn the technical skills on the job, the theory at university and the soft skills with regular internal training sessions throughout the year with your cohort.

You’ll also have the opportunity to work with other apprentices and colleagues and early career professionals across the regulatory industry.

We have a virtual insights evening on the 19th February 2025 for you to find out more about this opportunity at Ofwat and a chance to meet some of the team! Email earlycareers@ofwat.gov.uk for your invite.

Where you’ll work

Centre City House

7 Hill Street

Birmingham

West Midlands

B5 4UA

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT

Your training course

Professional economist (integrated degree) (level 6)

Equal to degree

Course contents

Applied economic and data analysis: Rigorously analyse complex information and data, drawing on economics knowledge and applying it to questions of interest for the organisation, while being aware of the limitations of economic analysis and the available data. Demonstrate an excellent working knowledge of and effectively use appropriate statistical and spreadsheet software to deliver this analysis. Approach analysis as a practical problem solver: choose the appropriate approach from a range of economic and other analytical tools, use judgement where data is incomplete, consider the context, degree of uncertainty, time pressures, and the question that needs answering. Ensure analysis has impact: explain what is happening and why it matters, and propose solutions.
Communication: Clearly communicate economic concepts, analysis or advice, risks and uncertainty. Do this in both written and oral forms, to both specialists and non-specialists. Communicate with clarity and conciseness, tailoring communication to the audience to have the maximum impact. Demonstrate an ability to listen to, interpret and understand stakeholders’ needs, to ensure that economic analysis is answering a question that will address those needs.
Synthesise evidence: Use personal judgement in collating evidence from a wide range of sources, evaluating the relevance, quality and validity of research, and demonstrate an ability to distil this evidence so that it answers the question at hand.
Quality Assurance: Review and quality assure the analysis of others to ensure it is of high quality. Provide appropriate challenge to methods and results, and continually evaluate the quality of analysis to ensure that the organisation is producing robust economic analysis which can stand up to scrutiny.
Planning and Prioritisation: Work to tight deadlines and respond to changing priorities. Effectively plan and prioritise time and coordinate the input of others in order to meet deadlines, across multiple projects.
Team Working & Collaboration: Work effectively in teams and with others, maintaining effective, professional working relationship both internally and externally across organisations.

Your training plan

You will complete your studies with the University of Kent – selected to deliver the programme because of the strength of their economics courses and the support they offer to apprentices throughout your time on programme.

You will study with Kent university through a hybrid approach, you will have lecturers online supplemented with in person blocks with your fellow cohort at Kent University. Ofwat will arrange and fund your accommodation and travel to Kent university for these visits. Your studies will be brought to life and used in practice with on the job learning at Ofwat.

On successful completion, apprentices will gain the following qualifications:

Level 6 Economics Degree Apprenticeship
BSc (Hons) Economics

And 5 years' experience working in the Civil Service - putting you in a brilliant position to progress in your career.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

A Level or equivalent in:

Any (grade BBB)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Analytical skills
Embodies all our values-SAILOR
Interested in Economics
Listening Skills
Motivation for Apprenticeship

Other requirements

Throughout the selection process, we will be looking for evidence of the skills listed and our SAILOR values. (Support, Ambition, Integrity, Learning, Ownership, Respect)

About this company

We’re Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority – a non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales. As the economic regulator of water and wastewater companies in England and Wales, our role is to enable, incentivise and hold companies to account for providing the very best for customers, communities and the environment now and in the future. We also oversee the markets in the water sector to ensure they’re working for customers. We are at the source of everyday life. We help the sector build trust and confidence with customers, the environment and wider society: keeping water flowing, bills affordable and helping ensure the health of our rivers and waterways. We push hard to improve day-to-day water company performance for customers, including on leakage, sewer flooding and customer service. We drive the sector to take a longer-term view and to take steps now to protect and enhance the environment, using digital and data innovations and making sure our water supplies are secure for future generations. Through our five-yearly price reviews, we oversee billions of pounds of investment into the water sector across England and Wales. Our Time to Act strategy sets out our ambition for the water sector and the role we play in achieving it. Our values reflect our ambition, our commitment to learning, to acting with purpose and integrity, continuously improving so that we make the greatest contribution possible to improving life through water. Our work is high-profile and fast-moving, within a dynamic and agile environment. The work that you’ll be involved in every day will help us to deliver our strategy, to make us the regulator we want to be and help the sector to deliver for customers and society. Our values underpin everything we do. They help us to deliver and maintain an inclusive culture where everyone can bring their authentic selves to work. And they've made a difference. In our latest people survey 92% of our people said they are treated with respect by the people they work with. We’re forward-thinking, creative, innovative, and ambitious. We constantly push the boundaries and embrace new ways of working. With us, your work matters, your voice is heard, and your impact is felt. Ours is a culture of trust, flexibility, autonomy, collaboration, and innovation. We all want positive change for water customers, the environment, and the future of water. But for us, change is more than what happens on the outside – we’ve always pushed boundaries internally, too. From becoming the first Civil Service organisation to achieve ‘Smarter Working’ status, to gaining our prestigious ‘Smarter Working Maturity’ award, we’ve consistently demonstrated our commitment to embracing innovative ways of working. Our people do their best work when given freedom over where, when, and how they work. Which is why we trust our teams to balance meaningful collaboration in the office with the flexibility of working from home.

https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/early-careers/ (opens in new tab)

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

With the opportunity to support work in a range of areas, you’ll develop a broad skillset, important to many roles in the world of economic regulation. You’ll be part of a multi-disciplinary team and apply the principles of economics (what you are learning on your apprenticeship) in the real world. The work we do is complex and has direct implications for customers and the environment. You’ll be given the opportunity to demonstrate your potential from the outset and your passion for economics will see you relish the opportunity!

We hope you will work your way from Business Support to Associate whilst on the apprenticeship programme. On successful completion of your apprenticeship, we will be supporting you with making the next step in your career to Senior Associate. Business support/ Associate/ Senior Associate refer to Ofwat's specific bands.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

Office of Water Services (OFWAT)

Elizabeth Savage

earlycareers@ofwat.gov.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000302830.

Apply now

Closes in 25 days (Sunday 9 March at 11:59pm)

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

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