7.1
Weathernews, Inc. as an Employer
Robert L. Cohen, Weathernews Oceanroutes, Sunnyvale, CA
Weathernews, Inc., celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is the largest publicly-held meteorology firm in the world, employing over 700 people in 26 offices in 12 countries.
We are firm believers that hiring the best meteorologists and keeping them challenged is what allows us to provide the best possible services to our varied clientele. We are currently working with leading meteorological universities for both research and candidate recruitment. We actively participate in joint projects with universities and research institutes and would like to expand these contacts to further more public-private partnerships.
Recently, we announced a strategic business and economic partnership with the University of Oklahoma to encourage Oklahoma’s local economic development and growth for the state’s weather-related industries on both a national and global level. We will continue to work with OU and other leading academic institutions to help advance the science of meteorology and inspire scientific innovation in the field.
During the session, a number of suggestions will be offered to the academic community that will provide an understanding of the type of forecasting being done by private industry. These recommendations for curricula will help illustrate the types of projects private meteorological companies conduct and will help prepare students for entry into the private sector. For example, rather than having students prepare a basic temperature or precipitation forecast, faculty might require that students complete an exercise to forecast operational criteria in data sparse areas.
Other concerns that will be addressed in the discussion include how to aid new graduates in transitioning their academic knowledge into the private sector, what universities should be aware of that will help their students transition smoothly, and how universities can aid in the corporate recruiting process in general.
Lastly, a summary of how Weathernews chooses successful candidates also will be discussed.
Session 7, Human Resource Needs, Including Education and Training: Employers' Perspective—Industry
Tuesday, 11 February 2003, 3:45 PM-4:15 PM
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