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Climate Scientist

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Primary Secondary Post-16

Imagine being a detective for our planet Earth! That's a bit like what a climate scientist does. They study the weather and how it changes over many, many years, not just day to day. They look at things like how hot or cold it's getting, how much rain is falling, and even what's happening to the ice at the North and South Poles. They use special tools and computers to collect information and try to understand why our climate is changing and what that means for people, animals, and plants. Their job is super important because they help us figure out how to look after our amazing planet and keep it healthy for everyone. Climate scientists spend a lot of time doing research. This can mean looking at old weather records, taking measurements from satellites up in space, or even going on exciting trips to faraway places like the Arctic or rainforests to collect samples. They then use all this information to create models, which are like super smart computer simulations, to predict what might happen to the climate in the future. They also share their discoveries with others, like governments and schools, so that everyone can learn how to make good choices for our environment.

Climate Scientist

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📊 Statistics

Average Starting Salary

In the UK, a climate scientist just starting out might earn around 25,000 to 30,000 pounds a year. That's a lot of pocket money!

Experienced Salary

With more experience, a climate scientist could earn 40,000 to 60,000 pounds or even more. That's enough to buy lots of science gadgets!

Number of Jobs

It's a growing field! There are hundreds of people working as climate scientists and in related jobs across the UK, helping us understand our planet better.

🚀 Careers in this path

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Weather Watcher

You could be a Weather Watcher! You'd look at the clouds and the wind to guess if it's going to rain or be sunny. You could even help tell people if they need a coat or their wellies!

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Nature Protector

How about being a Nature Protector? You'd help look after forests, oceans, and all the animals that live there to make sure they're safe and healthy for the future.

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Earth Helper

You could be an Earth Helper! You'd learn how to make our homes and schools use less electricity and find clever ways to keep our planet clean and happy for everyone.

Learning about Earth

Be Curious about Nature

Pay attention to the world around you! How does the weather change? Why do some plants grow better in sunny spots?

Start by observing simple things. When you go to the park, notice how the leaves on trees change colour, or how the puddles dry up after rain. Ask your grown-ups questions about what you see and hear in nature. The more curious you are now, the more you'll enjoy learning about Earth later!

Read Fun Science Books

Read books about animals, plants, weather, and space. There are so many amazing things to learn!

Ask your parents or teachers for books about science topics that interest you. Libraries have lots of colourful books about oceans, deserts, mountains, and even space! Learning about different parts of the Earth and how they work together is a super start to understanding climate.

Do Easy Science Experiments

Try simple science experiments at home or school, like growing a bean in a pot or making a miniature rain cloud.

Your grown-ups can help you find fun and safe experiments. You could try seeing how different amounts of water affect plant growth, or how shadows change throughout the day. These hands-on activities help you understand how things work in the real world, just like a scientist!

Learning at School

Focus on Science Lessons

Pay close attention in your science lessons at school. You'll learn about important things like weather, plants, and animals.

When you're at school, make sure to listen carefully during science classes. Your teachers will show you how to investigate and understand the world. This is where you'll build the building blocks for becoming a climate scientist!

Learn About Maths

Maths helps scientists count, measure, and understand patterns. It's like a secret code for understanding the world!

Even though it might seem like just numbers, maths is super important for scientists. You'll use maths to measure temperatures, rainfall, and even how quickly ice melts. Paying attention in your maths lessons will help you a lot in the future.

Join a Science Club

If your school has a science club, join it! You'll get to do extra fun experiments and learn with friends.

Science clubs are a fantastic way to explore more about science outside of regular lessons. You might get to do cool projects, visit science museums, or even meet real scientists. It's a great way to make learning even more exciting!

Getting Ready for Big Science

Visit Science Museums

Go to science museums with your family or school. They have amazing exhibits that show you how science works.

Science museums are like giant playgrounds for your brain! You can see real dinosaur bones, learn about space, or even stand in a hurricane simulator. These visits can spark your imagination and show you all the different ways science helps us understand the world.

Watch Documentaries about Earth

Watch nature documentaries on TV or online. You'll see incredible places and learn about our planet's ecosystems.

There are lots of amazing documentaries that show us the wonders of our planet, from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains. They can teach you about different animals, plants, and how they live together. This is a brilliant way to see what real climate scientists study.

Think About Helping the Planet

Think about how you can help take care of our planet, like recycling or saving energy. Every little bit helps!

A big part of being a Climate Scientist is wanting to protect our Earth. You can start by doing small things now, like turning off lights when you leave a room, saving water, or helping to plant trees. These actions show you care about the planet, just like a good Climate Scientist would!

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🎯 View Apprenticeships

Explore relevant apprenticeships that can help you kickstart your career in Climate Scientist. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and training while earning a wage.

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Career Progressions

This page showcases various career options and the pathways to reach them. Each career listed here shares transferable skills and knowledge, making it easier for individuals to transition between them.

Your current career is highlighted to help you see how it fits into the broader landscape of potential career choices. By clicking on any career, you can learn more about it, including the training and education required to pursue it.

Remember, progressing in your career often involves further learning and training. This page provides insights into future career options as well as those that can lead up to your current one.

These career progression decisions are informed by comparing the skills and knowledge needed for different occupations, along with data on how people move between them. Explore the possibilities and discover the exciting journey ahead in your career!

Sample Qualifications

Climate scientists analyse large datasets, develop models and interpret complex numerical results, which aligns closely with the core competencies of data scientists. Both roles require proficiency in statistics, programming and data visualisation to inform evidence-based conclusions.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly
  • a Civil Service training programme

University

You can begin your career in data science by studying for a relevant degree or postgraduate qualification, such as:

  • maths
  • statistics
  • data science
  • computer science
  • operational research

Subjects that include a lot of statistics, like physics, engineering or psychology may also be useful.

Graduates of other subjects can do a postgraduate master's conversion course to get into AI and data science.

Funding is also available to encourage people from under-represented groups to come into the profession.

Doing an internship or industry work placement as part of your course can give you an advantage when looking for jobs.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

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Apprenticeship

You may be able to get into this job through an apprenticeship, for example:

  • Data Engineer Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship
  • Data Scientist Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship
  • Digital and Technology Solutions Specialist Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Specialist Level 7 Professional Apprenticeship

These can take between 2 and 3 years to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

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Direct Application

You could apply directly to companies and organisations if you have the right skills and experience from working with data. You may be able to find roles with:

  • the NHS
  • financial and professional services firms
  • IT companies
  • retail and sales organisations
  • government departments

Other Routes

You could register for a place on the Civil Service Fast Stream scheme to work in data. You'll need a degree, postgraduate award or have completed a degree apprenticeship to apply.

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Career tips

Look out for intensive training courses in computing and data science.

It could also be useful to build up your knowledge of coding, analysis and data manipulation software, like:

  • R
  • SQL
  • Python
  • Power BI
  • Excel

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Institute of Analytics (IoA) or The Royal Statistical Society for training and development opportunities, and to make contacts in the industry.

Further information

You can find out more about a career as a data scientist from The Royal Statistical Society and The Chartered Institute for IT.

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