Would you Advise your Kids to be Meteorologists?

15   Mar ,  2012 | 15
comments

Knowing what you know today about the job market and where the future of meteorology is heading…would you advise your kid(s) to be meteorologists?  It’s a question that I’ve been thinking about given that I have a 6 month old son.

First, I strongly believe that doing what you love is important.  Doing something that you are passionate about and motivates you to get up every morning is what it should be about.  Of course it needs to be practical too because what you do needs to pay the bills and bring stability in your life.

Let’s face it…we spend the majority of our lives at work so you might as well enjoy what you’re doing.  It will likely make you a happier person at work and when you come home too.   I think that’s the reason why many of us became meteorologists….weather is something many of us are passionate about…and we pursued it as a career.

Now let’s go back to my question….would you advise your kids to be meteorologists?   My answer would be: If he is passionate about weather, then of course yes I would support him.   Would I be encourage Meteorology as a career given what I know today?  Probably not.  This may surprise some of you but I’d rather not sugarcoat what I believe!   I’d like to see some changes happen now (for the future) before I become pro-active about advising my son to pursue a career in meteorology.

Here are a few of the changes I’d like to see sooner than later:

1) Rotating Shift work burden:  We know weather happens around the clock…24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  And meteorologist(s) need to always be around to give weather forecasts.  It’s part of being a meteorologist.  However, there are a few companies out there easing the rotating shift work burden by letting meteorologists work from home a couple days a week.  I wrote a post about this very topic a couple of months ago.   Have a look, here.  I’d like to see more employers follow these companies and ease the rotating shift work burden for many meteorologists working long hours with rotating schedules for very little pay.

2) Better Pay:  A majority of meteorologists get paid very little money for the incredible value they bring to the table.  I guess you can say that a lot about our service oriented fields such as teachers, police officers, firefighters, etc…but overall I’d like to see a higher starting salary so meteorologists can make a better living for themselves and have greater stability.    It’s hard to fathom why an investment banker out of college makes $100-120k, while a meteorologist makes $20-35k.

3) More jobs:  Given that the weather affects almost every industry on the planet, I’d like to see more companies hire meteorologists to support their operations.   Not just weather-oriented companies…but large retail, construction companies, hedge funds, etc.  As I’ve mentioned in my post on the “Future of Meteorology”…weather risk is going to be (and currently is) very important for a company’s bottom line.  Instead of checking the internet for what the weather is going to be…I’d prefer if these companies hire professional meteorologists to help increase operational efficiencies.   I’d personally like to see more “forecasting” jobs rather than programming jobs.

Also, there is some concern in the meteorological community that in 20 to 30 years computer models will take over human forecasting ability.  And that companies out there are “over modeling” to a point that meteorologists will not be needed.   In my previous post of “Will computer models take over Wind meteorology”…I have made the case that employers should still keep the human level of analysis and communication intact.   But it definitely is a concern for what the future will bring.

Another concern is budgets being cut at the NOAA/NWS because the government needs to “spend less”.  If the US continues to take on more debt, what does that mean for the future and stability of government meteorologists that are so pertinent to saving lives?  I truly hope that the government has the foresight to keep the budget supported at NOAA.

I was recently asked a question on my blog about the possibility of making six figures in meteorology within 10 years.    “Brock” is only 15 years old and his/her goal is to make $120k after 10 years of working as a meteorologist.  Kudos for knowing what Brock wants at such a young age!  Bottom line, Brock wants advice on whether to pursue Meteorology since he/she is very passionate about weather but doesn’t want to stress through, burn out, and come up empty handed in this field.

From what I have seen…it is possible to make $120K in some meteorology sectors within 10 years.  But honestly, the majority of meteorology sectors…it’s very rare to do it that quickly.  I’d say top energy trade floor mets along with large market TV mets are the highest paid in the industry. But there are only a handful of these folks who have made it happen within 10 years.  I’ve written a post about six figure salaries in meteorology, here.

In order to prepare for a career in meteorology, I’d advise young folks to start ramping up their programming and database modeling skills.  In my earlier post of “Is Meteorology turning into Computer Science”…I feel that it’s the direction we are heading towards.   And as I mentioned in that same article…many of the entry level jobs today are companies looking for meteorologists who are also programmers.

Young folks in junior high and high school should also start connecting with meteorologists in the workforce right now.   If you’re interested in Meteorology, I think it’s important to establish pertinent connections in the space sooner than later.   I think it’s even more important to find a Mentor that can help guide your decision making for the future and keep you abreast of the latest trends in Meteorology too.

Looking back, I think it also makes sense to have a back up plan when pursing a career in Meteorology. Perhaps that is a secondary degree in another field (economics, finance, computer science, etc).  Or potentially an MBA post- meteorology degree.  It’s always nice to have something else to fall back on in case meteorology does not work out.

And for those folks who are interested in meteorology as a career and are in junior high or high school…make sure you are passionate about weather before entering this field.  It will be your passion for weather that gets you through the bumps along the road!  Meteorology can certainly be a rewarding career, but financial planning is also very important.  Don’t get me wrong…the future of meteorology is still bright with lots of fascinating things happening in the space…but I’d like to see some more positive changes for meteorologists overall!

Would you advise your kids to be meteorologists knowing what you know today?  Let your voice be heard loud and clear! (Photo credit: bemidji.k12.mn.us)

Posted by: AJ · Categories: Fixing Meteorology, Inspirational · Labels: , , , ,

Posted by AJ on March 15, 2012

  • John

    Nicely written AJ! I have 2 kids a boy and girl. If they were interested in weather, I would be super supportive. As you said, if you’re passionate about something, go do it. If not, …then find something you’re passionate about and go do it. I hope those changes you mentioned do happen because I’d like to see a bright future in meteorology too!

  • Pat

    If your kids are in high school or are heading to college, sure. The baby boom demographic means that there will be plenty of opportunities in the years ahead. However, if your “kids” are very young, those opportunities will likely be different. In the operational forecasting world, numerical weather prediction is overtaking the traditional roles of meteorologists there. Many operational meteorologists are oblivious to that now. The automated production of most routine forecasts can be done now to a non-perfect yet mostly acceptable level. Still, most national weather services currently choose to keep the human in the loop. However, with governments looking to trim their budgets for the foreseeable future, the relatively and decreasingly small value forecasters add to routine forecasts will be questioned. It’s inevitable that the number of operational forecasters in the future will be decreasing. However, with the rise of ensemble prediction and probabilistic forecasting, I think there will be a greater demand for expert interpretation. This will likely be done in two ways. One would be within the weather service in the form of expert consultation during active severe weather situations. This could be done by the remaining meteorologists or via some form of warning coordination specialists. The second, and I think, growing group would be meteorologist consultants. I’d have my kids look for combined degrees: meteorology and another field, such as engineering, medicine, air quality, forensics, social adaptation, agriculture, energy, climate adaptation, aviation, etc.). I think the demand for that group will be growing and that it will be the most viable career option.

    • Leo

      Effectively, there will always be a need for expert interpretation. Models need to be interpreted critically, with knowledge of the underlying physics…

  • Robert

    My kids are not following this career path. The younger two are going into Biology (one plants, the other marine) and the oldest into Geoscience.

  • Len

    Yes, I told my son to go for it! And he did. He graduated at the top of his High School Class. He is a first year Meteorology Student at THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA. He loves it. He started firsthandweather.com when he was 16 years old. He is now 19. 1stHand Weather has been very successful. People like Joe Bastardi and Piers Corbyn have posted articles on the site. It is doing real well. So, yes I would say go for it if you have a passion for the weather.

  • Jeff

    I’d encourage my kids if they develop a passion for weather. If it is a general interest in applied science I might expose them to engineering or another applied science through friends or organizations. Finally if they get into math or theory I’d try to show them the broad possibilities. Meteorology is a tough road, so I will remind my kids that other scientific fields exist. Many other fields offer possibilities. Mamas (Daddys) don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys… or meteorologists.

  • Philip Mew (Fellow R.M.S.)

    I am a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society, Reading, Great Britain. My interest in the weather began in 1963 when I began looking at clouds and their structure. From this was borne the want to become involved in Meteorology. I am now 60 and my interest has never waned. In all those years I have never lost the interest even though I only received a pittance for my observations as a Co-Operative Weather Observer (Contractual) I had to work in another job to maintain my lifestyle albeit a poor one. I work 7 days a week and of this only one hour per day is allocated to doing weather observations, though many people ask my opinion as it is the Public Relations exercise that I enjoy too.

    This is the unpaid side of the work but I gladly provide my knowledge to those interested in the weather. When it comes to someone asking should they become a Meteorologist I say “What does your mind say?” In most cases they answer with an emphatic yes! I do not dis-suade them as it is better to allow them to find out that a career in Meteorology is sheer hard work. Take a look at many jobs today. Many people can be working 80 plus hours a week for little pay, they have the threat of losing their jobs because of the uncertainty of the job situation; and, the uncertainty of the economy. As these people become older they realise that it is a risky business to work, so I sincerely believe it is best that they find their path in life and discover the pitfalls as they go on. Don’t give them the “gilt edged sword” and say that they are safe, will become rich or anything like that. Life is difficult enough but it is the person that tries that is the person that will succeed or fail. No one can predict that! Food for thought! Philip Mew

  • Ron

    my son has seen me work rotating shifts, most holidays, short turnovers, sleep deprivation etc as an NWS met for the last 25 plus years..i dont think he wants that for himself, despite the finanical and professional benefits, and has majored in a less marketable but more “normal” subject.

  • Alan

    There are other directions for a Meteorologist. I had a great career in research. Lots of intellectual stimulation, lots of worldwide travel, and a salary that ended in the $100,000/yr range.

    • Ron

      alan, all good points, but my experiences are that research positions nowadays generally require PhD and most of my co-workers in the NWS are content to stop at MS degree. being co-located with Florida State U Met department, i interact with many students, and like my coworkers they tend to be more attracted to the more rapid fire immediate gratification world of forecasting and split second warning decisions, along with interacting with media, public, emergency managers etc than the more sedate world of research. and we all have great opportunities to perform trend setting research..the most recent advances in SWAN and WRF modeling come out of my office not a research facility. after awhile shift work becomes part of your DNA and you seek out the advantages in same. also, when you include OT,shift differential, sundays and holidays, my co senior forecasters all garner $100-135,000 salaries, more than the research oriented professors across the hall. but to the original question…its not for everyone and everyone’s child.

      • Alan

        To each their own.
        My only point was that if the negatives of operational forecasting turns one off, there is an alternative and still follow Meteorology as a career.

        • Ron

          alan i agree with you, just trying to point out what motivates most operational forecasters to stay in this subset of meteorology despite its shortcomings.

  • Fred

    Not sure what a Meteorologist is these days. On television at least, they are usually politically correct selections and spend more time entertaining and being attractive than anything else. I get a bit nauseous when TV weather persons say the forecast for tomorrow will be something like “the possibility of a few isolated thunderstorms”. I was an Air Force Meteorologist/Command Briefer in Strategic Air Command (and proud of it), and “isolated” is the correct term. It means something. The possibility of a few isolated thunderstorms is meaningless double-talk. I get really aggravated when all the local weather types in Oklahoma act like the end of the world is near for us all if one dark cloud appears. They start mouthing about suspicious activity, dangerous looking formations, possible hook echos, etc., before any real weather is near. I’ll be glad when we select people to fill positions because of their training, skill and dedication – and not their category. Glad when we give weather facts – not spine-tingling, moment-to-moment narrative aimed at frightening the timid. Now – back to the question at hand – yes, I would encourage young people to be Meteorologists. I would warn them about how “political correctness” might affect them. I would warn them about Al Gore and junk science in general. I would encourage those that want to do real research to follow the scientific method and seek unbiased peer review before they start spouting their “findings”. I would appreciate some comments from those of you that are currently doing research. Are you allowed to do your job correctly – or do you find yourselves “encouraged” to “prove” someones point? Don’t respond if it will endanger your job

    • Ron

      fred, i enjoyed your post. political correctness is a problem is most professions these days, and none more so than in broadcast meteorology. how you look and what quota you will fill i suspect looms large in all personnel decisions. as an operational meteorologist we all know it would be politically naive to not consider how a research subject or a talk would be viewed by the higher ups and/or official agency policy. but its not black and white, there is much grey involved.

  • Steve Mirsky

    I have told them that if it is in their blood but don’t mind being underpaid and overworked, working all hours of the day and night, weekends and holidays and missing a lot of their kids activities, then go for it. But they did not. As for me I would do it all over again.