Sweden Faces Severe Meteorologist Shortage; Retirees Hired and Study Salaries Introduced

Sweden is experiencing a significant shortage of meteorologists, affecting both the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) and the Defence Forces. The shortage stems from a demanding five-year meteorology education at Stockholm and Uppsala universities, with about 50% of students dropping out in the first year due to the rigorous focus on advanced mathematics and physics.

Currently, the Defence Forces have approximately 15 vacant meteorologist positions out of 60, a chronic issue that has persisted for two decades. The demand for meteorologists has risen recently due to military rearmament and NATO missions. SMHI employs around 80 meteorologists for weather forecasting but faces vacancies that increase workload pressure on existing staff.

To mitigate staffing gaps, SMHI is reallocating tasks across offices in Gothenburg, Norrköping, and Uppsala and hiring retired meteorologists on an hourly basis. These retirees bring valuable experience, easing the burden on permanent employees. The Defence Forces have adjusted their recruitment strategy by offering meteorology students a monthly salary of 26,000 SEK during their studies, which has successfully boosted interest in the field.

Marketing efforts for meteorology education have improved, leading to all available spots in Stockholm being filled last year, signaling hopeful growth. However, only about 20 meteorologists are trained annually in Sweden, with many students from abroad. Therese Gadd, SMHI group leader in Gothenburg, emphasized the broad competence retirees contribute, while Ingrid Eronn, a study advisor at Stockholm University, highlighted the challenge of high early-year dropout rates.