The Met Office College is able to offer professional forecaster training to employees of other organisations with an interest in meteorology.

Training for forecasters is divided into three programmes - Foundation, Professional development and Specialist.

• The Foundation Programme is designed for those people who are new to forecasting. At the end of the Foundation Programme, the student is capable of operating in any forecasting environment without the support of more-experienced staff. This programme provides a complete set of fundamental forecasting competencies that all forecasters require.

• The Professional Development Programme is designed for those who are able to work in the forecasting environment independently of others, but who need to develop some of the core forecasting competencies further.

• The Specialist Forecaster Programme is designed for those who have a need for forecasting skills that are not required of all forecasters generally.

All our courses cover any necessary new theory, but they are all essentially practical courses based upon an assessment of the current competencies that practising forecasters need.

How the Met Office College Forecaster Training programme fits together

This programme has two parts. The Initial Forecasting Course provides training in the synoptic meteorological knowledge and fundamental forecasting skills needed to take up a forecasting post under supervision. On-the-job training is then carried out by the organisation employing the trainee forecaster. The participant is then ready for the second part - the Viva Assessment.

Certificates are awarded following successful completion of both the IFC and the Viva Assessment.

Professional Training Course calendar

This programme consists of two parts.

1. The Advanced Forecasting Course. This has been designed to complement and follow on from the Foundation Training Programme after a period of two to three years. It can also be used to complete basic forecaster training which has been taken elsewhere. It introduces some new meteorological theory and enhances the forecaster's understanding of the behaviour of the atmosphere, enabling them to demonstrate an informed opinion on NWP model performance. It is particularly suitable for staff who may shortly be moving to positions of responsibility within a forecasting team.

2. The following four additional short courses.

• Satellite Imagery Interpretation
  
• Using NWP Products
  
• Summer or Winter Forecasting
  
• Probability Forecasting
  

They are aimed at a specific forecasting interest and can be attended in any order. None of the courses last longer than five days. If possible they are timetabled consecutively. Certificates of attendance are issued. When all the courses in the programme have been completed a further certificate indicating that the student has completed a Forecaster Development Programme can be awarded.

Professional Training Course calendar

The specialist programme consists of a Global Meteorology course and a Wave Model Interpretation course. The Global Meteorology course consists of six two-day courses that each focus on weather in different parts of the world. They can be taken individually or as a set. Both specialist courses are aimed at those who have the extra responsibility to forecast in international areas or for the marine environment.

Professional Training Course calendar