Career Progression
As a public sector economist in the Economist Service (ES), you are likely to begin your career in the Economics Division (ECD) in the Ministry of Trade & Industry (MTI), which is the parent Ministry of the ES.
To broaden your exposure to a diverse range of policy issues, after two to three years in ECD, you may be rotated to other Ministries (e.g., Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Social and Family Development, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment), statutory boards (e.g., Central Provident Fund Board, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Land Transport Authority), or MTI divisions (e.g., Supply Chain Resilience Division).
We provide a well-defined career progression pathway, with systematic rotation opportunities. This enables you to broaden your perspective and further your interests in particular fields of economics.
The ES offers a competitive remuneration package with salaries benchmarked against the private sector.
Learning and Training Opportunities
Postgraduate Studies
If you perform well, you may be offered scholarships to pursue full-time Master's or PhD degrees at top local and overseas universities.
Read about Christopher Saw who is currently pursuing a PhD in Economics at the University of California, Los Angeles, USA, on the ES Postgraduate Scholarship.
Courses / Workshops / Conferences
Our economists are encouraged to participate in external courses, workshops and conferences to deepen their economic knowledge and expertise. As an economist, you will have the opportunity to attend local and overseas summer schools and conferences to learn new empirical techniques, as well as keep abreast of the latest economic research and policy initiatives. Over the years, our economists have attended various academic (e.g., American Economic Association and Royal Economic Society), and industry-related (e.g., Gartner) conferences.
Research Platforms
There are numerous platforms within the Civil Service for you to present your research findings.
The Economic Studies Forum – chaired by the Permanent Secretary for MTI – is a key platform where ES officers present their research findings to senior policymakers. In support of policy discussions, economists also present their research at various cross-ministry platforms to Ministers and senior government officials.