Table 1Transition record

chemical engineertosurface engineer

A chemical engineer already meets 50% of what the surface engineer role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.

From chemical engineer

50%

Overlap1

To surface engineer

18 Skills carried over

7 Required, not held

50.8 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 50.8

This move: 50.8 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the surface engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the chemical 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 18 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A surface engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a chemical engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held develop material testing procedures information skills
already held semiconductors engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held safety engineering engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held material mechanics engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held analyse test data information skills
already held approve engineering design communication, collaboration and creativity

All 18 carried skills, including the 8 the surface engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 20 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 engineering, manufacturing and construction 4 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held industrial engineering required
required, not held production processes required
required, not held surface engineering required
required, not held technical drawings required

optional, not held ferrous metal processing optional
optional, not held non-destructive testing optional
optional, not held soldering techniques optional
optional, not held welding techniques optional

02 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 2 required

required, not held corrosion types required
required, not held mathematics required

03 information skills 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held execute analytical mathematical calculations required

optional, not held analyse stress resistance of materials optional
optional, not held recognise signs of corrosion optional

04 constructing 2 supplementary

optional, not held apply phosphate coating to metal workpiece optional
optional, not held parkerise metal workpiece optional

05 working with machinery and specialised equipment 2 supplementary

optional, not held use non-destructive testing equipment optional
optional, not held galvanise metal workpiece optional

06 business, administration and law 1 supplementary

optional, not held environmental legislation optional

2 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a surface 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 18 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held adjust engineering designs skill
already held approve engineering design skill
already held engineering principles knowledge
already held engineering processes knowledge
already held manufacturing processes knowledge
already held perform scientific research skill
already held safety engineering knowledge
already held use technical drawing software skill
already held analyse test data skill
already held chemistry knowledge
already held develop material testing procedures skill
already held electrical engineering knowledge
already held material mechanics knowledge
already held mechanical engineering knowledge
already held physics knowledge
already held record test data skill
already held semiconductors knowledge
already held types of metal knowledge

The 2 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 supplementary

optional, not held computer simulation optional

08 services 1 supplementary

optional, not held hazardous waste types optional

13 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held apply phosphate coating to metal workpiece optional
optional, not held parkerise metal workpiece optional
optional, not held ferrous metal processing optional
optional, not held use non-destructive testing equipment optional
optional, not held analyse stress resistance of materials optional
optional, not held computer simulation optional
optional, not held environmental legislation optional
optional, not held galvanise metal workpiece optional
optional, not held hazardous waste types optional
optional, not held non-destructive testing optional
optional, not held recognise signs of corrosion optional
optional, not held soldering techniques optional
optional, not held welding techniques optional

88 held skills the surface engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role advise on pollution prevention skill
not needed by the target role advise on waste management procedures skill
not needed by the target role analyse production processes for improvement skill
not needed by the target role analytical chemistry knowledge
not needed by the target role apply health and safety standards skill
not needed by the target role assess environmental impact skill
not needed by the target role assess hydrogen production technologies skill
not needed by the target role assess the feasibility of implementing developments skill
not needed by the target role basic chemicals knowledge
not needed by the target role biological chemistry knowledge
not needed by the target role biology knowledge
not needed by the target role chemical preservation knowledge
not needed by the target role composite materials knowledge
not needed by the target role computer engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role conduct public presentations skill
not needed by the target role contribute to registration of pharmaceutical products skill
not needed by the target role create solutions to problems skill
not needed by the target role define quality standards skill
not needed by the target role design optical systems skill
not needed by the target role design pharmaceutical manufacturing systems skill
not needed by the target role design principles knowledge
not needed by the target role design prototypes skill
not needed by the target role develop chemical products skill
not needed by the target role develop components separation processes skill
not needed by the target role develop pharmaceutical drugs skill
not needed by the target role draft design specifications skill
not needed by the target role drug administration regulations knowledge
not needed by the target role electrical instrumentation engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role electricity knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with environmental legislation skill
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with safety legislation skill
not needed by the target role establish collaborative relations skill
not needed by the target role evaluate pharmaceutical manufacturing process skill
not needed by the target role examine engineering principles skill
not needed by the target role examine samples in dermatology skill
not needed by the target role execute feasibility study on hydrogen skill
not needed by the target role explain the molecular basis of a disease to patients skill
not needed by the target role forecast organisational risks skill
not needed by the target role good manufacturing practices knowledge
not needed by the target role green chemistry knowledge

48 further entries not listed here

13 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 corrosion types required
required, not held industrial engineering required
required, not held mathematics required
required, not held production processes required
required, not held surface engineering required
required, not held technical drawings required
optional, not held ferrous metal processing optional
optional, not held computer simulation optional
optional, not held environmental legislation optional
optional, not held hazardous waste types optional
optional, not held non-destructive testing optional
optional, not held soldering techniques optional
optional, not held welding techniques optional

Index

Other moves recorded from chemical engineer

Full index of moves from chemical 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.