Emily relishing her role as part of "great team" at Economy & Skills

"The work I do here helps people who are directly engaged in helping keep Warwickshire's economy strong."

Economics can be a dry subject, dense and off-putting, but when skilfully deployed it can be a real force for good - and that's why Emily Newport is loving her role at Warwickshire County Council.

Emily was recently appointed as the economist within the council's Economy & Skills team based at Barrack Street in Warwick.

It is a position for which she is well-qualified having graduated in economics at the University of Northampton where she covered areas ranging from data analysis and the history of economic theory to development economics and debates surrounding economic ideas.

It is the latter areas which really captured Emily's interest - the business of wielding economics in a form which can shape and support communities. To be of practical help.

Working in sales, which she did immediately post-uni, she found pretty unfulfilling. So when this opportunity arose at Warwickshire County Council, it had enormous appeal.

"I studied psychology at A'level and hated it," she said. "It was all case-studies and theory whereas I really wanted to learn about things that affect people and the structure of things so that hopefully my work could then affect people in a good way.

"My dad suggested economics. I was a bit hesitant at first but went to study it in Northampton and was soon loving it. I love the socio-economical side of it, understanding how it affects people, how places and communities operate, then hopefully delivering research that can really help.

"The more I studied economics, the more I wanted to work in local government because that's where people are at the heart of what you do and you can really make a difference. When I saw the job advertised at Warwickshire County Council I was really keen because opportunities like this are rare. When I got the job I could hardly believe it!"

It's a lot more fulfilling than sales - and more challenging, if slightly less fun, than the summer of 2016 which Em spent as a 'Red Bull' girl motoring round the Midlands promoting the energy drink.

Those roles served a purpose but, as part of the Economy & Skills team, Emily is now on her long-term career-path. She had already produced her first major project - the county council's highly-respected  Quarterly Labour Market Bulletin - and is eagerly getting to grips with other work.

"I really enjoyed putting the Quarterly Labour Market Bulletin together because it's full of information that is of real use and relevance to employers, local authorities and business organisations," she said. "The work I do here helps people who are directly engaged in helping keep Warwickshire's economy strong. I didn't want a job which was data-heavy and just crunching figures almost for their own sake.

"The Economy & Skills team is a great team to be part of. They are really open and friendly and I settled in straight away. Straight away it was clear how much they all care about what they do. There is a great range of expertise and whenever any one of them is dealing with a business they will so everything they can to help - and if they can't they find try to someone who can.

"There is a real sense of vocation. That's what I hoped it would be like working for local government - and it is. I'm really happy to be part of the team."