Table 1Transition record

agronomisttosoil scientist

A agronomist already meets 52% of what the soil scientist role asks for. The move turns on 5 required skills not yet in the profile.

From agronomist

52%

Overlap1

To soil scientist

25 Skills carried over

5 Required, not held

53.7 Difficulty2

Career overlap Partial match

52%

Learning distance Real move, short list to learn

53.7/ 100

Easy adjacentmoderatesubstantialcareer change Hard

1 Share of the soil scientist role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the agronomist profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Why

Why this move works

A soil scientist role treats 9 of its required skills as things a agronomist already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

European pesticide legislation
apply safety procedures in laboratory
crop production principles
ecology
gather experimental data
perform laboratory tests

What stands in the way is 5 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 25 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A soil scientist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a agronomist background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held liaise with crop growers communication, collaboration and creativity
already held European pesticide legislation business, administration and law
already held develop irrigation strategies management skills
already held advise on fertiliser and herbicide communication, collaboration and creativity
already held irrigation systems agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary
already held plant propagation agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary

All 25 carried skills, including the 9 the soil scientist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 29 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 2 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held geology required
required, not held soil science required

optional, not held habitat restoration optional
optional, not held hydrology optional
optional, not held climate change impact optional

02 information skills 1 required, 6 supplementary

required, not held conduct soil sample tests required

optional, not held conduct land surveys optional
optional, not held inspect agricultural fields optional
optional, not held record survey data optional
optional, not held conduct field work optional
optional, not held perform scientific research optional
optional, not held prepare surveying report optional

03 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held soil mechanics required

optional, not held surveying methods optional
optional, not held environmental engineering optional
optional, not held surveying optional

04 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held advise on nature conservation required

optional, not held implement biodiversity action plans optional
optional, not held advise on pollution prevention optional

05 agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary 4 supplementary

optional, not held agroforestry optional
optional, not held conservation agriculture optional
optional, not held sustainable agricultural production principles optional
optional, not held agronomical production principles optional

06 handling and moving 3 supplementary

optional, not held apply sustainable tillage techniques optional
optional, not held collect samples optional
optional, not held ensure soil fertility optional

2 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a soil scientist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 25 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held European pesticide legislation knowledge
already held apply safety procedures in laboratory skill
already held crop production principles knowledge
already held ecology knowledge
already held gather experimental data skill
already held perform laboratory tests skill
already held scientific literature knowledge
already held soil structure knowledge
already held write work-related reports skill
already held advise on fertiliser and herbicide skill
already held advise on soil and water protection skill
already held agricultural equipment knowledge
already held agronomy knowledge
already held biology knowledge
already held collect samples for analysis skill
already held develop irrigation strategies skill
already held develop scientific research protocols skill
already held environmental legislation knowledge
already held fertilisation principles knowledge
already held irrigation systems knowledge
already held laboratory techniques knowledge
already held liaise with crop growers skill
already held plant harvest methods knowledge
already held plant propagation knowledge
already held pollution prevention knowledge

The 2 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 working with machinery and specialised equipment 2 supplementary

optional, not held operate surveying instruments optional
optional, not held adjust surveying equipment optional

08 social sciences, journalism and information 1 supplementary

optional, not held government policy optional

24 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held agroforestry optional
optional, not held apply sustainable tillage techniques optional
optional, not held collect samples optional
optional, not held conduct land surveys optional
optional, not held conservation agriculture optional
optional, not held ensure soil fertility optional
optional, not held habitat restoration optional
optional, not held hydrology optional
optional, not held implement biodiversity action plans optional
optional, not held inspect agricultural fields optional
optional, not held operate surveying instruments optional
optional, not held record survey data optional
optional, not held surveying methods optional
optional, not held sustainable agricultural production principles optional
optional, not held adjust surveying equipment optional
optional, not held advise on pollution prevention optional
optional, not held agronomical production principles optional
optional, not held climate change impact optional
optional, not held conduct field work optional
optional, not held environmental engineering optional
optional, not held government policy optional
optional, not held perform scientific research optional
optional, not held prepare surveying report optional
optional, not held surveying optional

56 held skills the soil scientist role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role accept own accountability skill
not needed by the target role advise on crop diseases skill
not needed by the target role agroecology knowledge
not needed by the target role analyse samples of food and beverages skill
not needed by the target role apply horticultural standards and practices skill
not needed by the target role archive scientific documentation skill
not needed by the target role assess crop damage skill
not needed by the target role bioeconomy knowledge
not needed by the target role biological chemistry knowledge
not needed by the target role budgetary principles knowledge
not needed by the target role climate smart agriculture knowledge
not needed by the target role communicate with customers skill
not needed by the target role comply with agricultural code of practice skill
not needed by the target role consult with business clients skill
not needed by the target role consultation methods knowledge
not needed by the target role create crop protection plans skill
not needed by the target role create solutions to problems skill
not needed by the target role cultivate crops for biomass skill
not needed by the target role develop personal skills skill
not needed by the target role develop scientific theories skill
not needed by the target role environmental legislation in agriculture and forestry knowledge
not needed by the target role execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
not needed by the target role genetic engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role horticulture principles knowledge
not needed by the target role keep task records skill
not needed by the target role livestock feeding knowledge
not needed by the target role livestock species knowledge
not needed by the target role maintain laboratory equipment skill
not needed by the target role maintain plants' growth skill
not needed by the target role make decisions regarding plant propagation skill
not needed by the target role manage agricultural staff skill
not needed by the target role manage crop production skill
not needed by the target role manage crop rotation skill
not needed by the target role manage farm supplies skill
not needed by the target role manage livestock skill
not needed by the target role manage nutrients skill
not needed by the target role mathematics knowledge
not needed by the target role microbiology-bacteriology knowledge
not needed by the target role molecular biology knowledge
not needed by the target role monitor crops skill

16 further entries not listed here

14 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held soil mechanics required
required, not held geology required
required, not held soil science required
optional, not held agroforestry optional
optional, not held conservation agriculture optional
optional, not held habitat restoration optional
optional, not held hydrology optional
optional, not held surveying methods optional
optional, not held sustainable agricultural production principles optional
optional, not held agronomical production principles optional
optional, not held climate change impact optional
optional, not held environmental engineering optional
optional, not held government policy optional
optional, not held surveying optional

Index

Other moves recorded from agronomist

Full index of moves from agronomist

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.