Alexander Lam

Alex currently serves as a Senior Economist with the Bank of Canada. His role focuses on analyzing trends and developments in the Canadian labour market. Some of the research topics that Alex has been able to work on include job vacancies; immigration and population growth; and wages. At the Bank of Canada, Alex finds his work fulfilling as he knows the institution he is working with aims to serve the public interest.

The diverse team he works with brings expertise on many different aspects of the Canadian economy, international trade, supply chains, climate change, and more. Monetary policy has many nuanced and wide-ranging implications for the economy, so this broad scope of perspectives is necessary and fascinating.

Alex found his way into economics after starting in political science and geography as an undergraduate student at the University of Victoria. He realized that economics approach to understanding human behaviour using models and data appealed to him, and he switched into economics. After completing his BSc honours degree at the University of Victoria, he went to work as a research assistant at the Bank of Canada. His studies at UVic prepared him well for this rigorous position and provided him with a foundation on which he could flourish in this role.

After working at the Bank for a couple of years, Alex wanted to pursue graduate studies. He completed his MA in International Affairs and took as many electives in economics as he could! This educational path helped Alex develop a skillset that allowed him to find a job as an economist after graduating.

Alex’s advice for our current students is: Don’t be afraid to make big changes in your academic or professional career. Your interests may change – or come into clarity – over time. If your current path doesn’t seem right, try something new! It may seem intimidating but good opportunities will still appear, even from unexpected places, as long as you’re developing a valuable skillset (quantitative, writing and communication) and maintaining an open and curious mind along the way.