2026/27 EMPLOYER GUIDES5 min read

Met Office Early Careers Full Guide 2026/27

Written by Damilare Bakare

Verified by Nathan Andrew (Employer Content Specialist)

Here’s what you’ll uncover in this guide:

Met Office Early Careers
Met Office Early Careers Application Process
Met Office Early Careers FAQs

Practice Met Office Tests

1. Met Office Early Careers

What are the Met Office early career opportunities?

The Met Office early careers roles help school students, school leavers, university students and graduates gain experience, develop their skills and start a career in weather, climate science and beyond.

Here are the Met Office early career opportunities you can apply to:

Work Experience
Apprenticeships
Industrial Placements
Graduate Development Scheme
Foundation Operational Meteorology Programme

Let’s find out what each of these opportunities offers, starting with Met Office work experience.

Met Office Work Experience

What is Met Office work experience?

Met Office work experience introduces students to careers such as meteorology, engineering, data science and cyber security. It runs in two phases: a self-paced online programme, followed by in-person placements.

Good to Know: Everyone who registers for the online programme is guaranteed a place, but in-person placements are limited, and you must complete the online programme first.

What work experience is available at the Met Office?

Met Office Work Experience Eligibility Criteria

Online programme: Open to UK-based students aged 13 to 18.
In-person placements: Open to students in Years 10 to 13 in England and Wales, Years 11 to 14 in Northern Ireland, or S3 to S6 in Scotland, as of 31 August.
Education: You must be studying in the UK, either in formal education or home-schooled.
Application: You’ll need to submit the work-based assignments you completed during the online programme.

Next, let’s look at the Met Office apprenticeships.

Met Office Apprenticeships

What are the Met Office apprenticeships?

Met Office apprenticeships combine paid work with study towards a recognised qualification. The September 2026 cohort included seven Level 3 and Level 4 programmes, based in Exeter with hybrid working.

Good to Know: Level 3 apprentices started on £23,400, rising to £24,700, while Level 4 apprentices started on £24,310, rising to £25,740. The next cohort will be advertised in February 2027.

What apprenticeships are available at the Met Office?

Software Developer Apprenticeship (Level 4):

Up to 19 months, delivered by BPP, with 20% off-the-job training through online modules, webinars and tutor sessions.

Sales Executive Apprenticeship (Level 4):

Up to 18 months, open to applicants with Maths and English at Grade 4 or above, or equivalent.

PR and Communications Apprenticeship (Level 4):

16 months, delivered by JGA, covering media, digital communications and written content.

Commercial Apprenticeship (Level 4):

Up to 22 months, leading to industry-recognised qualifications from CIPS.

Bid and Proposal Apprenticeship (Level 3):

Around 27 months, after which you’ll be eligible for membership of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP).

Paralegal Apprenticeship (Level 3):

Up to 21 months, delivered by Damar Training, with one dedicated study day each week.

Business Administrator Apprenticeship (Level 3):

Up to 18 months, leading to a Level 3 Business Administrator qualification delivered by Exeter College.

Met Office Apprenticeships Eligibility Criteria

Location: You must be living in England when the apprenticeship starts.
Funding: You must not be enrolled on another funded apprenticeship, or another funded further or higher education programme.
Prior qualifications: The apprenticeship must be unrelated to any qualification you already hold at the same or a higher level.
Entry requirements: These vary by programme. For example, the Paralegal Apprenticeship asks for at least five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4, including English and Maths.
Residency: To pass security clearance, you must have lived in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years.

Now, let’s discuss the Met Office industrial placements that university students can apply for.

Met Office Industrial Placements

What are the Met Office industrial placements?

Met Office industrial placements are 12-month programmes starting in early July, giving students hands-on experience on impactful projects alongside experts. They’re based in Exeter, with hybrid working.

Good to Know:The 2026 industrial placements paid £27,170. The Met Office normally starts recruiting in October or November each year, and the next cycle is for Summer 2027.

What industrial placements are available at the Met Office?

Placements are offered across areas such as the Flood Forecasting Centre, Science, Technology, Communications and Property. Recent placements included:

Climate Risk Industrial Placement:

A 12-month placement for students with a background in a relevant scientific field, studying to degree level.

Climate Metadata Analyst Industrial Placement:

Based in Edinburgh, this placement sees you join an operational observations team, reviewing and assessing a wide range of evidence to document the metadata behind the Met Office’s observational data.

Library and Archive Industrial Placement:

Based at the National Meteorological Library and Archive, this placement sees you handle customer enquiries and carry out cataloguing, preservation and digital archiving tasks. It suits students interested in a library or archive career.

International Product Management Industrial Placement:

Working alongside Product Managers in the Met Office’s International business area, you’ll help develop new products and manage existing ones, and research the needs of international users.

Business Assurance Industrial Placement:

Based in Exeter within the Markets Central Office, this placement sees you support process reviews, business metrics and business continuity planning. You’ll also build Power BI dashboards for senior leaders.

Met Office Industrial Placements Eligibility Criteria

Degree: You must be studying for an undergraduate sandwich degree that includes a placement year.
Subject: Relevant degree disciplines vary by placement, so check the specific listing.
Residency: You must have lived in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years, including the 2 years before you apply.

After your placement, you may be able to apply for the Met Office Graduate Development Scheme. Let’s look at that next.

Met Office Graduate Development Scheme

What is the Met Office Graduate Development Scheme?

The Met Office Graduate Development Scheme lasts 12 to 24 months. It starts with an immersive induction into the Civil Service and the Met Office, followed by structured training and bespoke placement rotations.

Good to Know: There is currently no Graduate Development Scheme intake planned for 2027. The 2026 scheme offered a base salary of £28,600, with a total reward package worth up to £40,524.

What does the Met Office Graduate Development Scheme offer?

Placement rotations: Placements tailored to your interests, from Forecasting to Technology, Science to Engineering, and Marketing to Corporate Services.
Guidance: Support from your line manager and the Graduate Steering Group as you shape your placements.
Location: Based in Exeter, with hybrid working and a 37-hour working week.

Met Office Graduate Development Scheme Eligibility Criteria

Degree: You must be educated to degree level.
Values: You should be passionate and share the Met Office values.
Right to work: You must be eligible to live and work in the UK.
Residency: You must have lived in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years, and achieve full security clearance within your first 6 months.

Finally, let’s look at the Met Office Foundation Operational Meteorology Programme.

Met Office Foundation Operational Meteorology Programme

What is the Met Office Foundation Operational Meteorology Programme?

The Foundation Operational Meteorology Programme trains you to become an operational meteorologist, and you can typically expect to qualify within 18 to 24 months. Academic training is delivered with the University of Plymouth.

Good to Know: The 2025 intake offered a base salary of £26,954, plus up to £4,200 as an unsocial hours shift allowance where applicable.

What does the Met Office Foundation Operational Meteorology Programme involve?

Training:

You’ll start at a learning centre, combining formal training with hands-on experience across the Met Office’s operational network.

Day-to-day work:

Taking weather observations, analysing real-time data and making flight-safety-critical observations at defence locations.

Location:

Initially based in Exeter, then working across UK Met Office sites, with possible deployments to defence sites overseas.

Shifts:

You’ll work shifts, including unsocial hours such as nights, weekends and public holidays.

Met Office Foundation Operational Meteorology Programme Eligibility Criteria

Degree: A 2:2 degree or higher in meteorology, a physical science, mathematics or engineering, or experience in operational meteorology.
A levels: Ideally, A-level mathematics or physics, or a direct equivalent.
Driving licence: A full UK driving licence is highly desirable and sometimes essential.
Residency: You must have lived in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years to pass security clearance.

With this, we’ve covered all the Met Office early career opportunities you can apply to. Let’s look at the application process next.

2. Met Office Early Careers Application Process

How do I apply to the Met Office early careers programmes?

The application process varies depending on the opportunity you’re applying for. However, the Met Office application process may typically involve the following stages:

Good to Know:

Depending on the role or programme, the Met Office may also use psychometric tests at the application stage, so read the job description carefully to know the selection methods used.

Discover all stages of the Met Office recruitment process here!

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Before you start your Met Office application, check out the FAQs below for more on the Met Office’s early career programmes.

3. Met Office Early Careers FAQs

1Is there a Met Office graduate scheme in 2027?

There is currently no Graduate Development Scheme intake planned for 2027, so check the Met Office careers website for future updates.

2How much do Met Office apprentices earn?

For the September 2026 cohort, Level 3 apprentices started on £23,400 and Level 4 apprentices started on £24,310, with the opportunity to progress over time.

3When does the Met Office recruit for industrial placements?

The Met Office normally starts recruiting industrial placements in October or November each year, for placements starting the following summer.

4Can a Met Office industrial placement lead to the graduate scheme?

It may. After completing your placement, you may be able to apply for the Graduate Development Scheme, but this isn’t guaranteed and depends on programme availability.

5What degree do I need for the Foundation Operational Meteorology Programme?

You’ll need a 2:2 or higher in meteorology, a physical science, mathematics or engineering, or experience in operational meteorology.

6Can school students do work experience at the Met Office?

Yes. UK-based students aged 13 to 18 can join the online Forecasting your Future programme, which can lead to an in-person placement.

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Click the links below to uncover more about the Met Office recruitment process:

This article was last updated on 16 October 2026. All information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at publication, based on publicly available sources. For the latest details, please verify directly with the Met Office.