ISWE School Outreach Initiatives
Our aim at ISWE is to reach out to students to ensure they are better informed about both studying economics and working as an economist, with the hope of both increasing interest in the study of economics and encouraging greater diversity within the discipline/profession.
To this end, ISWE has partnered with the Central Bank of Ireland to film two short videos as a resource for students – one video profiles three economists individually talking about their work, while the second video profiles three third-level students talking about their experience studying economics. The videos were recorded in the Central Bank of Ireland in February 2024. ISWE would like to thank the Central Bank of Ireland for their support, and the economists and students who shared their experience with us.
ISWE has also partnered with University College Dublin to conduct our first School Outreach Programme which is beginning in a pilot stage in 2024-2025. ISWE would like to thank the Discover Economics Team of the Royal Economics Society for the help in preparing the pilot programme. Find out more about our activities below!
Working in Economics
What is it like to work as an economist?
Three economists describe their job and talk about what they enjoy about their role. They also discuss what they studied at university and give some valuable advice to those considering studying economics.
Aoife Doyle
Economist at the Irish Government Economic Evaluation Service
Kate English
Chief Economist at Deloitte Ireland
James Vance
Economist at Trinity College Dublin, Centre for Economics, Policy and History
Studying Economics
What is it like to study economics in university?
Three students of economics talk about why they decided to study economics at university, what they enjoy about studying economics, and how studying at university differs to school. They also discuss the experience they gained during their work placements.
Breda O’Toole
MSc Economics, Maynooth University
Aleksa Ristic
BSc Economics, University College Dublin
Saloni Khosla
Economics & Maths, Trinity College Dublin
ISWE School Outreach Pilot Programme 2025
ISWE is working in collaboration with University College Dublin to launch the first initiative of its kind in Ireland to diversify economics. By ensuring young people understanding what economics is and broadening is appeal by showing what economics can be, we hope to attract more students to study economics at university, especially those from under-represented groups, including women and girls.
Student Champions have been selected from UCD’s economics cohorts to visit secondary schools around Dublin and engage Transition Year Students in an interactive workshop which will provide new insights into what economics is and can be.
We hope to extend and improve this programme for 2025-2026 based on the feedback and experiences of the 2025 cohorts. ISWE thanks UCD Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for funding for this work and the Discover Economics Team of the Royal Economics Society for their support and guidance in the preparation of this programme.
Resources for teachers, parents and guardians:
Please contact isweconomics@gmail.com if you are a teacher interested ISWE’s School Outreach Pilot Programme for 2025
Economics Careers
Careers Portal has a wealth of information about economics as a school subject, how to study it at university and careers therein – https://careersportal.ie/
ISWE is preparing a slide deck for teachers, parents, guardians and others to use schools careers talks – coming soon!
Useful weblinks for economics outreach and learning
https://res.org.uk/discover-economics
The ISWE School Outreach Team and our Economists and Economics Students at the Central Bank
From the left: Aoife Doyle (IGEES); Kate English (Deloitte); James Vence (TCD); Breda O’Toole (Economics student in MU); Aleksa Ristic (Economics student in UCD); Mide Griffith (TCD & ISWE); Therese McDonnell (UCD & ISWE); Saloni Khosla (Economics student in TCD); Irene Mosca (MU & ISWE)