‘A really inspiring place to work’

Can you tell us about you and your background? 

Before doing my industrial placement with the Met Office, I worked on a nature reserve on the North Norfolk Coast. It was this interaction with rapidly changing weather, and the ebb and flow of the tides, that really sparked my interest in all things weather and oceans. This led me to study Meteorology and Oceanography at the University of East Anglia, and hear about the industrial placement opportunities here at the Met Office. Through my degree I’ve also learnt about the physics governing our atmosphere and oceans, and also had the opportunity to volunteer with another weather forecasting company. 

Why did you apply to do an industrial placement with the Met Office? 

Growing up on the North Norfolk coast, I’ve always had an awareness and admiration of the natural world, and wanted to work for an organisation that prioritised protecting it. So, I jumped at the chance of working within an organisation that has values which align so well with my own. The marine forecasting placement complements my degree choice and interests perfectly, so I was honoured when I was offered the job!  

Can you give us an overview of your role and what you do on a day-to-day basis? 

My role is a year-long project automating the process of producing the marine forecasts (Shipping, Inshore Waters and High Seas forecasts) that the Met Office produces for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and are broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Currently these forecasts are produced personally by Operational Meteorologists. However, my project is to develop a tool that automatically generates a first draft of the forecast for Meteorologists to review.  

My first couple of months in post were spent training in readiness to begin the project, going on various courses to develop my coding skills. Now the project is well underway my day-to-day tasks are varied. A lot of my time is spent coding, whether that’s producing a webpage to display my project, or creating an algorithm that turns data into text. I’ve also had the opportunity to shadow forecasters in the Operations Centre, and share my work with other teams in the Met Office.  

What do you most enjoy about your role and what are some of the challenges?

Although I enjoy so many aspects of my role, one of the best things is meeting lots of different people and learning something new. I also love being able to access courses and seminars in a whole range of fields. I recently attended a brilliant meteorology course, as well as talks on space weather and weather forecasting in Antarctica. I’m even going to present my own work at a Royal Meteorological Society conference!  

I have found aspects of my role challenging. For example, the coding was a steep learning curve, as I don’t come from a computer science background. But it’s been a really rewarding journey, and I’ve gained so many transferable skills. Whilst it felt daunting initially, I had so much support from my colleagues, and the Met Office has so many helpful resources.  

How has your overall experience been with the Met Office so far? 

I’ve had a really positive experience with the Met Office. There’s such a supportive environment, and everyone’s working towards the same purpose and values, giving a strong sense of community. There are many opportunities to join sports and social clubs, as well as staff networks too.  

I particularly enjoyed attending the Met Office Awards for Excellence. The annual event offered me a glimpse of other people’s work, and to see how the Met Office celebrates its employees and their achievements.  

What support is available to you from the organisation?  

No matter the problem, there’s always someone who can help. I’m lucky to work across different teams, so I have a great support network, and I find everyone so obliging to help. And on the rare occasion one of my team members doesn’t have an answer, there’s always others who can help. 

Why would you recommend doing an industrial placement with the Met Office? 

If you’re doing a year in industry as part of a degree, I couldn’t recommend the Met Office enough. It’s an excellent place to kickstart your career and a really inspiring place to work, within a really kind and supportive environment. My contributions feel valued and meaningful, and I really feel part of the team.  

I’ve enjoyed my placement so far and wouldn’t hesitate to come back to the Met Office, and of course relocating to Devon for work and being able to explore the Southwest coast isn’t so bad either. 

This blog was published in May 2025.