Meteorology technician to meteorologist
A meteorology technician already meets 36% of what the meteorologist role asks for. The move turns on 27 required skills not yet in the profile.
72.4/ 100
1 How much of what a meteorologist is expected to do is already part of a meteorology technician’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 13 of its required skills as things a meteorology technician already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- analyse weather forecast
- apply scientific methods
- apply statistical analysis techniques
- carry out meteorological research
- climatology
- execute analytical mathematical calculations
What stands in the way is 27 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 26 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 meteorology technician background worth leading with.
- already held create weather maps communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held write weather briefing communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held manage meteorological database 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
All 26 carried skills, including the 13 the meteorologist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 39 missing skills fall into 7 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
- optional, not held present during live broadcasts optional
- optional, not held apply blended learning optional
- optional, not held design graphics optional
- optional, not held teach in academic or vocational contexts optional
- 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 conduct research across disciplines required
- still to learn demonstrate disciplinary expertise 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 develop models for weather forecast 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
- optional, not held geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held hydrology optional
- optional, not held geography optional
- optional, not held mathematical modelling optional
- optional, not held oceanography optional
- optional, not held quantitative analysis optional
1 further area 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 apply for research funding 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 26 skills that carry over
- already held analyse weather forecast skill
- already held apply scientific methods skill
- already held apply statistical analysis techniques skill
- already held carry out meteorological research skill
- already held climatology knowledge
- already held execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
- already held mathematics knowledge
- already held meteorology knowledge
- already held perform scientific research skill
- already held review meteorological forecast data skill
- already held use meteorological tools to forecast meteorological conditions skill
- already held use specialised computer models for weather forecasting skill
- already held write scientific publications skill
- already held assist scientific research skill
- already held collect weather-related data skill
- already held conduct research on climate processes skill
- already held create weather maps skill
- already held design scientific equipment skill
- already held manage meteorological database skill
- already held operate meteorological instruments skill
- already held operate remote sensing equipment skill
- already held scientific research methodology knowledge
- already held statistics knowledge
- already held study aerial photos skill
- already held use geographic information systems skill
- already held write weather briefing skill
The 1 learning area not shown above
- optional, not held calibrate electronic instruments optional
12 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held hydrology optional
- optional, not held present during live broadcasts optional
- optional, not held apply blended learning optional
- optional, not held calibrate electronic instruments optional
- optional, not held design graphics optional
- optional, not held develop models for weather forecast optional
- optional, not held geography optional
- optional, not held mathematical modelling optional
- optional, not held oceanography optional
- optional, not held quantitative analysis optional
- optional, not held teach in academic or vocational contexts optional
9 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 analyse scientific data skill
- not needed by the target role calibrate optical instruments skill
- not needed by the target role maintain equipment skill
- not needed by the target role meet deadlines skill
- not needed by the target role operate precision measuring equipment skill
- not needed by the target role precision measuring instruments knowledge
- not needed by the target role use communication devices skill
- not needed by the target role write technical reports skill
6 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- optional, not held geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held hydrology optional
- optional, not held geography optional
- optional, not held mathematical modelling optional
- optional, not held oceanography optional
- optional, not held quantitative analysis optional
Common questions about this move
Can a meteorology technician become a meteorologist?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A meteorology technician already covers 36% of what a meteorologist is expected to do: 26 skills carry over, 13 of which the meteorologist role treats as required.
What skills does a meteorology technician need to become a meteorologist?
27 required skills are missing, plus 12 optional ones. They fall into 7 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 meteorology technician to meteorologist?
Its learning distance is 72.4 out of 100, which is the substantial 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.