I hope someone can provide some advice here.

I'm an (MX12 - farmer) currently looking at an opportunity to move from a stat board, working on policy, to a ministry to work on research. Pass w/ Merit only and I was very surprised to be given a chance to take a shot at a ministry post that wanted a 2:1. I suppose my experience has significant relevance to the opportunity.

Some close friends have questioned whether it would be a smart idea; from policy to research. Now I cant help but wonder the same.

My motivation to try out in the first place was exposure and getting a fresh angle in my area of expertise. I found the agency's scope and interest in the matter to be very narrow at the moment and would like to work at a more macro perspective. But is research a career advancing field or a dead end?

I was a fresh grad less than two years ago.