Meteorology Career Help

[Chris K]

Hi all! (hopefully this post is in the right forum area - I was unsure!)

Before asking my question I'll go into a little bit about what I do for work at the moment.

I have just started my third and final year of an apprenticeship within the MoD, which if I complete next July/August, will give me a HNC in electronic engineering (includes HNC maths, business, electrical principles, circuit theory, engineering software design and a couple of others). I will also gain NVQ level 3 in Engineering Technical Support and Key Skills level 3 (ICT, Maths, Communications). The apprenticeship is currently based on Engineering Project Management, which although can be interesting, I can't see myself sticking with for a long term 'career' in the current area it is based. Don't get me wrong, working with military equipment and systems can be interesting and something many people would love to do, but it's purely based on project management, which if i did end up doing, would rather do it in an area of work I am more interested in.

The question I want to put to people, if anyone has knowledge or experience of it, is what I need to look for in developing a career in meteorology work. This could either be forecasting, observation work, research etc. (I realise a vast majority of jobs in meteorology requires subjects such as Natural Sciences, Physics and Maths degrees.)

I would also like to know what alternatives there are within meteorology other than pure forecasting. So far I have only looked into the general forecasting careers you can build up on, such as those that the Met Office deal with.

Will I need to go to university as a first step, such as Reading (who I believe has a biggish department for meteorology), to get those degrees? Are there sites such as the Open University that do any relevant worthwhile courses? Or will my HNC in electronic engineering be useful at all in starting anywhere within a meteorology career? (HNC is seen as roughly equivalent to a first year at Uni or foundation degree).

Going to university would be my least preferred option as obviously a lot more expense is involved, however I certainly am not ruling out going if its necessary!

Any information would be great - Even stories of how various members may of developed a career in meteorology themselves!

[Backtrack]

Hi there, I went to connexions and asked about this.

You need an A-level or equivalent in maths, physics and geography to qualify for the courses.

[Coast]

Even stories of how various members may of developed a career in meteorology themselves!

You need to contact Thundery Wintry Showers. I believe that one or two other members are on their way through the preliminary path to a Meteorological type career as well. John Holmes may still have some info on getting into the MetO

[Nick L]

I'm going the university route as advised by the Met Office and most major organisations. After getting ABB at A Level in Maths, Further Maths and Physics I applied to Reading Uni and I will soon be starting my 2nd year .

Reading has the best department for Meteorology in Europe, and although the fees will soon be tripling, a Met degree from there can't be a bad thing to have!

Edited August 26, 2011 by Nick L

[J07]

There definitely used to be a lot of "technical officers" in the meteorological world that did not necessarily have degrees. They worked as assistants, observers and the like (John Holmes no doubt can elaborate). Unfortunately I think their numbers are now dwindling due to increasing computerisation (i.e. automatic weather stations replacing observers, and charts now be plotted by computer rather than by hand).

However, it sounds like your skills could eventually be put to use in the practical aspects that still remain. For example, observing networks still require maintenance, and expansion of observing networks requires project management. If you did want to go the more theoretical route and go to university, your slightly unusual background could make you stand out from the competition.

[Thundery wintry showers]

I've got into the meteorology/climate profession via the academic route- A-levels in maths, physics and geography, an environmental science/maths degree, a Masters of Research degree, and now right at the end of doing a PhD. You don't have to have a meteorology degree, anything in maths/physics/geography/environmental science, preferably with significant meteorological content within some of the modules, will also suffice, but it is extremely difficult to get into meteorology without at least having a first degree.

There are weather forecasting and observational jobs here and there, most often at the Met Office, but due to the increasing computerisation/automation of forecasts and observations, the biggest area of employment is research & development. Many of those posts require relevant prior experience and/or further research such as a Masters and sometimes a PhD. Posts come up from time to time at various universities (Reading, UEA, Leeds, Exeter, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Lancaster and Edinburgh all have some meteorology-related research groups, and I've seen the occasional meteorology-related post at Southampton and Liverpool) and also at the Met Office which has a few research departments including the Hadley Centre.

There are two ways of getting jobs at the MetO, one is to successfully apply directly to one of their posts and another is to get posts at other institutions (usually universities) whose work involves collaboration with the Met Office and requires you to spend at least some of the time at the HQ in Exeter. PhD CASE studentships also fall into the second category. I recall (though I think John Holmes will know better than me) that the forecasting posts typically require an initial spell of training, usually conducted at the Met Office.

[Chris K]

Thanks for the info all Gives me more to look into! By the sounds of it, even though not the only way, it may be worth looking into studying at University!

[J07]

Thanks for the info all Gives me more to look into! By the sounds of it, even though not the only way, it may be worth looking into studying at University!

I think these days, with big fees, you really have to be certain that University is where you want to go before making the plunge!