Table 1Transition record

automation engineertotest engineer

A automation engineer already meets 76% of what the test engineer role asks for. The move turns on 3 required skills not yet in the profile.

From automation engineer

76%

Overlap1

To test engineer

43 Skills carried over

3 Required, not held

30.9 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 30.9

This move: 30.9 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the test engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the automation engineer 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.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 43 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A test engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a automation engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held write routine reports communication, collaboration and creativity
already held industrial engineering engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held production processes engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held analyse test data information skills
already held approve engineering design communication, collaboration and creativity
already held manufacturing processes engineering, manufacturing and construction

All 43 carried skills, including the 18 the test engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 18 missing skills fall into 6 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 constructing 1 required, 6 supplementary

required, not held test hardware required

optional, not held test instrumentation equipment optional
optional, not held test microelectromechanical systems optional
optional, not held test optoelectronics optional
optional, not held monitor nuclear power plant systems optional
optional, not held test electrical equipment optional
optional, not held test electronic units optional

02 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held test procedures required

optional, not held in-circuit test optional
optional, not held instrumentation engineering optional
optional, not held instrumentation equipment optional
optional, not held nuclear energy optional

03 information skills 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held analyse scientific data required

optional, not held test performance of power plants optional
optional, not held test materials optional

04 assisting and caring 1 supplementary

optional, not held follow nuclear plant safety precautions optional

05 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 supplementary

optional, not held develop ICT test suite optional

06 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 supplementary

optional, not held conduct routine machinery checks optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a test engineer 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 43 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held adjust engineering designs skill
already held analyse test data skill
already held approve engineering design skill
already held demonstrate disciplinary expertise skill
already held engineering principles knowledge
already held engineering processes knowledge
already held industrial engineering knowledge
already held interact professionally in research and professional environments skill
already held manage personal professional development skill
already held manage research data skill
already held manufacturing processes knowledge
already held operate open source software skill
already held perform project management skill
already held production processes knowledge
already held synthesise information skill
already held technical drawings knowledge
already held think abstractly skill
already held use technical drawing software skill
already held apply blended learning skill
already held apply for research funding skill
already held apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities skill
already held communicate with a non-scientific audience skill
already held conduct research across disciplines skill
already held develop professional network with researchers and scientists skill
already held disseminate results to the scientific community skill
already held draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation skill
already held electrical engineering knowledge
already held evaluate research activities skill
already held increase the impact of science on policy and society skill
already held integrate gender dimension in research skill
already held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data skill
already held manage intellectual property rights skill
already held manage open publications skill
already held mentor individuals skill
already held perform scientific research skill
already held promote open innovation in research skill
already held promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities skill
already held promote the transfer of knowledge skill
already held publish academic research skill
already held speak different languages skill
already held teach in academic or vocational contexts skill
already held write routine reports skill
already held write scientific publications skill

15 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held develop ICT test suite optional
optional, not held follow nuclear plant safety precautions optional
optional, not held in-circuit test optional
optional, not held test instrumentation equipment optional
optional, not held test microelectromechanical systems optional
optional, not held test optoelectronics optional
optional, not held test performance of power plants optional
optional, not held conduct routine machinery checks optional
optional, not held instrumentation engineering optional
optional, not held instrumentation equipment optional
optional, not held monitor nuclear power plant systems optional
optional, not held nuclear energy optional
optional, not held test electrical equipment optional
optional, not held test electronic units optional
optional, not held test materials optional

66 held skills the test engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role CAE software knowledge
not needed by the target role assemble hardware components skill
not needed by the target role assemble mechatronic units skill
not needed by the target role assemble sensors skill
not needed by the target role automatic control system knowledge
not needed by the target role automation technology knowledge
not needed by the target role build business relationships skill
not needed by the target role communicate with customers skill
not needed by the target role computer engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role conduct literature research skill
not needed by the target role conduct quality control analysis skill
not needed by the target role control engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role coordinate engineering teams skill
not needed by the target role create technical plans skill
not needed by the target role define manufacturing quality criteria skill
not needed by the target role define technical requirements skill
not needed by the target role design automation components skill
not needed by the target role design drawings knowledge
not needed by the target role design firmware skill
not needed by the target role design prototypes skill
not needed by the target role develop electronic test procedures skill
not needed by the target role develop mechatronic test procedures skill
not needed by the target role develop product design skill
not needed by the target role draft bill of materials skill
not needed by the target role electromechanics knowledge
not needed by the target role electronics knowledge
not needed by the target role examine engineering principles skill
not needed by the target role firmware knowledge
not needed by the target role follow standards for machinery safety skill
not needed by the target role gather technical information skill
not needed by the target role guidance, navigation and control knowledge
not needed by the target role install automation components skill
not needed by the target role install mechatronic equipment skill
not needed by the target role install software skill
not needed by the target role maintain control systems for automated equipment skill
not needed by the target role maintain robotic equipment skill
not needed by the target role maintain safe engineering watches skill
not needed by the target role marine technology knowledge
not needed by the target role maritime law knowledge
not needed by the target role mathematics knowledge

26 further entries not listed here

5 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 test procedures required
optional, not held in-circuit test optional
optional, not held instrumentation engineering optional
optional, not held instrumentation equipment optional
optional, not held nuclear energy optional

Index

Other moves recorded from automation engineer

Full index of moves from automation engineer

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.