Economists

Join student business organizations—such as Junior Achievement (https://jausa.ja.org), DECA (www.deca.org), Future Business Leaders of America (https://www.fbla.org), and Business Professionals of America (http://bpa.org) to learn more about the business world and participate in activities that develop your leadership, managerial, and financial skills.

You can augment your interest in economics by taking related courses in social science and mathematics and by becoming informed about business and economic trends through reading business-related publications such as newspaper business sections and business magazines. In addition to economics course work, college students can participate in specific programs and extracurricular activities sponsored by their university's business school, such as internships with government agencies and businesses and business-related clubs and organizations.

Participate in information interviews with economists. In such an interview—which can be conducted in-person, on the phone, or through video-conferencing technology—you will get the opportunity to ask economists about their job duties, work environment, likes and dislikes about their careers, educational training, and other topics that will help you to learn more about the field. Ask your school counselor or business teacher to help you set up information interviews. In addition, perhaps you could even job-shadow a economist to learn more about the field.

Attend summer camps that allow you to learn more about business, economics, and related topics. One such opportunity is provided by Georgetown University (Washington, DC), which offers a Summer College Program in which high school students can take summer classes and earn college credit. Recent classes that were available in the program include Economic Principles–Microeconomics and Economic Principles–Macroeconomics. The university also offers a three-week Business Academy. Visit https://summer.georgetown.edu for more information and contact colleges and universities in your area to learn about available programs.