Tara Jennings
Tara Jennings is an Assistant Economist working in the Child Maintenance Policy Strategy team at the Department for Work and Pensions. She completed the four-year GES Degree Apprenticeship with the University of Kent and is now continuing her studies on the Economic Masters Apprenticeship at Queen Mary University of London. She is currently based in Manchester.
Why did you choose to study economics?
I’ve always enjoyed maths and working things out, so economics felt like a natural step. I took it at A‑level because it was new, interesting, and different to anything I’d studied before. What really kept me hooked was seeing how government policies can impact different groups of people, it made the subject feel real, relevant, and connected to everyday life.
How would you describe economics?
I’d describe economics as understanding how different decisions affect society. Everything has a knock‑on effect, and economics helps explain those connections, from individual choices to government policies. At its core, it’s about how we use limited resources and how we can allocate them in a way that leads to the best possible outcomes for everyone.
If you had a time machine and could meet your 16-year-old self, what advice would you give them?
I’d tell my 16‑year‑old self to work hard but also to have more confidence, especially when presenting findings and explaining my thought process. I’d also reassure them that economics can actually be fun, and that finance and economics aren’t just for boring men in tall London skyscrapers! There’s a whole variety of roles and people in the field, and there’s space for you too.
What is your favourite part of economics?
My favourite part of economics is seeing how events around the world ripple into the UK in completely different ways. Everything is connected, and every shock or decision has a knock‑on effect somewhere else. I love exploring those links and understanding whether we can learn from what’s happened before to guide better decisions in the future.