Weather forecaster to climatologist
A weather forecaster already meets 28% of what the climatologist role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.
65.7/ 100
1 How much of what a climatologist is expected to do is already part of a weather forecaster’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 climatologist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A climatologist role treats 4 of its required skills as things a weather forecaster already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- analyse weather forecast
- carry out meteorological research
- conduct research on climate processes
- meteorology
What stands in the way is 7 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 7 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A climatologist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a weather forecaster background worth leading with.
- 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 use specialised computer models for weather forecasting information skills
- already held conduct research on climate processes information skills
- already held meteorology natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
All 7 carried skills, including the 4 the climatologist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 24 missing skills fall into 9 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 collect weather-related data required
- still to learn conduct research across disciplines required
- still to learn perform scientific research required
- optional, not held determine historic climate changes optional
- optional, not held analyse environmental data optional
- optional, not held conduct ecological research optional
- optional, not held manage air quality optional
- optional, not held manage meteorological database optional
- still to learn climate change impact required
- still to learn climatology required
- still to learn statistics required
- optional, not held palaeoclimatology optional
- optional, not held geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held environmental policy optional
- optional, not held geology optional
- optional, not held oceanography optional
- still to learn advise on weather-related issues required
- optional, not held urban pollution implications optional
- optional, not held green space strategies optional
- optional, not held agronomy optional
- optional, not held assess environmental impact optional
3 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a climatologist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 advise on weather-related issues practise this
- 02 climate change impact study this
- 03 climatology study this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 7 skills that carry over
- already held analyse weather forecast skill
- already held carry out meteorological research skill
- already held conduct research on climate processes skill
- already held meteorology knowledge
- already held develop models for weather forecast skill
- already held use meteorological tools to forecast meteorological conditions skill
- already held use specialised computer models for weather forecasting skill
The 3 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held develop environmental policy optional
- optional, not held use geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held operate meteorological instruments optional
17 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held determine historic climate changes optional
- optional, not held palaeoclimatology optional
- optional, not held analyse environmental data optional
- optional, not held geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held urban pollution implications optional
- optional, not held use geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held agronomy optional
- optional, not held assess environmental impact optional
- optional, not held conduct ecological research optional
- optional, not held develop environmental policy optional
- optional, not held environmental policy optional
- optional, not held geology optional
- optional, not held green space strategies optional
- optional, not held manage air quality optional
- optional, not held manage meteorological database optional
- optional, not held oceanography optional
- optional, not held operate meteorological instruments optional
16 held skills the climatologist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adopt a relaxed posture skill
- not needed by the target role audiovisual equipment knowledge
- not needed by the target role breathing techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role develop instrumentation systems skill
- not needed by the target role lighting techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role mathematics knowledge
- not needed by the target role memorise lines skill
- not needed by the target role photography knowledge
- not needed by the target role physics knowledge
- not needed by the target role present during live broadcasts skill
- not needed by the target role pronunciation techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role read pre-drafted texts skill
- not needed by the target role review meteorological forecast data skill
- not needed by the target role use data processing techniques skill
- not needed by the target role vocal techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role work with a voice coach skill
11 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 climate change impact required
- still to learn climatology required
- still to learn statistics required
- optional, not held palaeoclimatology optional
- optional, not held geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held urban pollution implications optional
- optional, not held agronomy optional
- optional, not held environmental policy optional
- optional, not held geology optional
- optional, not held green space strategies optional
- optional, not held oceanography optional
Common questions about this move
Can a weather forecaster become a climatologist?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A weather forecaster already covers 28% of what a climatologist is expected to do: 7 skills carry over, 4 of which the climatologist role treats as required.
What skills does a weather forecaster need to become a climatologist?
7 required skills are missing, plus 17 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is advise on weather-related issues.
How hard is the move from weather forecaster to climatologist?
Its learning distance is 65.7 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.