Climatologist to meteorologist
A climatologist already meets 23% of what the meteorologist role asks for. The move turns on 32 required skills not yet in the profile.
82.2/ 100
1 How much of what a meteorologist is expected to do is already part of a climatologist’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the meteorologist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A meteorologist role treats 8 of its required skills as things a climatologist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- analyse weather forecast
- carry out meteorological research
- climatology
- conduct research across disciplines
- meteorology
- perform scientific research
What stands in the way is 32 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 17 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A meteorologist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a climatologist background worth leading with.
- already held manage meteorological database information skills
- already held develop models for weather forecast information skills
- already held carry out meteorological research information skills
- already held use meteorological tools to forecast meteorological conditions information skills
- already held operate meteorological instruments working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held climatology natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
All 17 carried skills, including the 8 the meteorologist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 48 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn manage intellectual property rights required
- still to learn communicate with a non-scientific audience required
- still to learn develop professional network with researchers and scientists required
- still to learn disseminate results to the scientific community required
- still to learn draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation required
- still to learn evaluate research activities required
- still to learn increase the impact of science on policy and society required
- still to learn interact professionally in research and professional environments required
- still to learn mentor individuals required
- still to learn promote the transfer of knowledge required
- still to learn publish academic research required
- still to learn speak different languages required
- still to learn think abstractly required
- still to learn write scientific publications required
- optional, not held present during live broadcasts optional
- optional, not held apply blended learning optional
- optional, not held assist scientific research optional
- optional, not held create weather maps optional
- optional, not held design graphics optional
- optional, not held design scientific equipment optional
- optional, not held teach in academic or vocational contexts optional
- optional, not held write weather briefing optional
- still to learn review meteorological forecast data required
- still to learn apply for research funding required
- still to learn apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities required
- still to learn apply scientific methods required
- still to learn apply statistical analysis techniques required
- still to learn demonstrate disciplinary expertise required
- still to learn execute analytical mathematical calculations required
- still to learn integrate gender dimension in research required
- still to learn manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data required
- still to learn manage research data required
- still to learn promote open innovation in research required
- still to learn promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities required
- still to learn synthesise information required
- optional, not held study aerial photos optional
- still to learn manage personal professional development required
- still to learn perform project management required
- still to learn operate open source software required
- still to learn manage open publications required
- still to learn mathematics required
- optional, not held hydrology optional
- optional, not held geography optional
- optional, not held mathematical modelling optional
- optional, not held calibrate electronic instruments optional
- optional, not held operate remote sensing equipment optional
2 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a meteorologist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 manage intellectual property rights practise this
- 02 operate open source software practise this
- 03 review meteorological forecast data practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 17 skills that carry over
- already held analyse weather forecast skill
- already held carry out meteorological research skill
- already held climatology knowledge
- already held conduct research across disciplines skill
- already held meteorology knowledge
- already held perform scientific research skill
- already held use meteorological tools to forecast meteorological conditions skill
- already held use specialised computer models for weather forecasting skill
- already held collect weather-related data skill
- already held conduct research on climate processes skill
- already held develop models for weather forecast skill
- already held geographic information systems knowledge
- already held manage meteorological database skill
- already held oceanography knowledge
- already held operate meteorological instruments skill
- already held statistics knowledge
- already held use geographic information systems skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held scientific research methodology optional
- optional, not held quantitative analysis optional
16 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held hydrology optional
- optional, not held present during live broadcasts optional
- optional, not held apply blended learning optional
- optional, not held assist scientific research optional
- optional, not held calibrate electronic instruments optional
- optional, not held create weather maps optional
- optional, not held design graphics optional
- optional, not held design scientific equipment optional
- optional, not held geography optional
- optional, not held mathematical modelling optional
- optional, not held operate remote sensing equipment optional
- optional, not held quantitative analysis optional
- optional, not held scientific research methodology optional
- optional, not held study aerial photos optional
- optional, not held teach in academic or vocational contexts optional
- optional, not held write weather briefing optional
14 held skills the meteorologist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role advise on weather-related issues skill
- not needed by the target role agronomy knowledge
- not needed by the target role analyse environmental data skill
- not needed by the target role assess environmental impact skill
- not needed by the target role climate change impact knowledge
- not needed by the target role conduct ecological research skill
- not needed by the target role determine historic climate changes skill
- not needed by the target role develop environmental policy skill
- not needed by the target role environmental policy knowledge
- not needed by the target role geology knowledge
- not needed by the target role green space strategies knowledge
- not needed by the target role manage air quality skill
- not needed by the target role palaeoclimatology knowledge
- not needed by the target role urban pollution implications knowledge
6 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn mathematics required
- optional, not held hydrology optional
- optional, not held geography optional
- optional, not held mathematical modelling optional
- optional, not held quantitative analysis optional
- optional, not held scientific research methodology optional
Common questions about this move
Can a climatologist become a meteorologist?
Yes, and it is a career change move. A climatologist already covers 23% of what a meteorologist is expected to do: 17 skills carry over, 8 of which the meteorologist role treats as required.
What skills does a climatologist need to become a meteorologist?
32 required skills are missing, plus 16 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is manage intellectual property rights.
How hard is the move from climatologist to meteorologist?
Its learning distance is 82.2 out of 100, which is the career change band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.