Table 1Transition record

fossil-fuel power plant operatortosolar power plant operator

A fossil-fuel power plant operator already meets 42% of what the solar power plant operator role asks for. The move turns on 6 required skills not yet in the profile.

From fossil-fuel power plant operator

42%

Overlap1

To solar power plant operator

21 Skills carried over

6 Required, not held

64.3 Difficulty2

Career overlap Partial match

42%

Learning distance Substantial retraining

64.3/ 100

adjacentmoderatesubstantialcareer change

1 Share of the solar power plant operator role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the fossil-fuel power plant operator 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 solar power plant operator role treats 9 of its required skills as things a fossil-fuel power plant operator already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

apply health and safety standards
electric current
electric generators
electrical power safety regulations
electricity
maintain electrical equipment

What stands in the way is 6 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 21 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A solar power plant operator role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a fossil-fuel power plant operator background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held operate steam turbine working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held replace large components working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held monitor electric generators constructing
already held coordinate electricity generation communication, collaboration and creativity
already held ensure compliance with electricity distribution schedule information skills
already held arrange equipment repairs management skills

All 21 carried skills, including the 9 the solar power plant operator role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 41 missing skills fall into 9 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 working with machinery and specialised equipment 3 required, 8 supplementary

required, not held install photovoltaic systems required
required, not held maintain concentrated solar power systems required
required, not held maintain photovoltaic systems required

optional, not held operate hydraulic machinery controls optional
optional, not held operate hydraulic pumps optional
optional, not held install electrical and electronic equipment optional
optional, not held maintain hydraulic systems optional
optional, not held maintain sensor equipment optional
optional, not held operate battery test equipment optional
optional, not held operate hydrogen extraction equipment optional
optional, not held repair battery components optional

02 engineering, manufacturing and construction 2 required, 10 supplementary

required, not held photovoltaic systems required
required, not held solar energy required

optional, not held offshore constructions and facilities optional
optional, not held offshore renewable energy technologies optional
optional, not held automation technology optional
optional, not held battery components optional
optional, not held battery fluids optional
optional, not held fuel gas optional
optional, not held hydraulics optional
optional, not held hydroelectricity optional
optional, not held renewable energy optional
optional, not held sensors optional

03 constructing 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held install concentrated solar power systems required

optional, not held install hydraulic systems optional

04 information skills 4 supplementary

optional, not held manage data optional
optional, not held prevent marine pollution optional
optional, not held control temperature optional
optional, not held gather data optional

05 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 4 supplementary

optional, not held chemical products optional
optional, not held maritime meteorology optional
optional, not held battery chemistry optional
optional, not held statistical analysis system software optional

06 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 supplementary

optional, not held address problems critically optional
optional, not held cooperate with colleagues optional
optional, not held use communication techniques optional

3 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a solar power plant operator 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 21 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held apply health and safety standards skill
already held electric current knowledge
already held electric generators knowledge
already held electrical power safety regulations knowledge
already held electricity knowledge
already held maintain electrical equipment skill
already held maintain records of maintenance interventions skill
already held monitor electric generators skill
already held respond to electrical power contingencies skill
already held arrange equipment repairs skill
already held coordinate electricity generation skill
already held electricity consumption knowledge
already held ensure compliance with electricity distribution schedule skill
already held ensure safety in electrical power operations skill
already held liaise with engineers skill
already held operate steam turbine skill
already held read engineering drawings skill
already held replace large components skill
already held resolve equipment malfunctions skill
already held smart grids systems knowledge
already held wear appropriate protective gear skill

The 3 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 assisting and caring 2 supplementary

optional, not held provide information on solar panels optional
optional, not held survive at sea in the event of ship abandonment optional

08 management skills 2 supplementary

optional, not held develop strategies for electricity contingencies optional
optional, not held ensure equipment maintenance optional

09 working with computers 1 supplementary

optional, not held set up machine controls optional

35 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held chemical products optional
optional, not held develop strategies for electricity contingencies optional
optional, not held manage data optional
optional, not held maritime meteorology optional
optional, not held offshore constructions and facilities optional
optional, not held offshore renewable energy technologies optional
optional, not held operate hydraulic machinery controls optional
optional, not held operate hydraulic pumps optional
optional, not held prevent marine pollution optional
optional, not held address problems critically optional
optional, not held automation technology optional
optional, not held battery chemistry optional
optional, not held battery components optional
optional, not held battery fluids optional
optional, not held control temperature optional
optional, not held cooperate with colleagues optional
optional, not held ensure equipment maintenance optional
optional, not held fuel gas optional
optional, not held gather data optional
optional, not held hydraulics optional
optional, not held hydroelectricity optional
optional, not held install electrical and electronic equipment optional
optional, not held install hydraulic systems optional
optional, not held maintain hydraulic systems optional
optional, not held maintain sensor equipment optional
optional, not held operate battery test equipment optional
optional, not held operate hydrogen extraction equipment optional
optional, not held provide information on solar panels optional
optional, not held renewable energy optional
optional, not held repair battery components optional
optional, not held sensors optional
optional, not held set up machine controls optional
optional, not held statistical analysis system software optional
optional, not held survive at sea in the event of ship abandonment optional
optional, not held use communication techniques optional

22 held skills the solar power plant operator role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role advise on equipment maintenance skill
not needed by the target role close circuit breaker skill
not needed by the target role control steam flows skill
not needed by the target role energy conservation knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with environmental legislation skill
not needed by the target role fossil fuels knowledge
not needed by the target role fossil-fuel power plant operations knowledge
not needed by the target role maintain system logs skill
not needed by the target role mechanics knowledge
not needed by the target role monitor gauge skill
not needed by the target role monitor utility equipment skill
not needed by the target role natural gas knowledge
not needed by the target role operate ash handling equipment skill
not needed by the target role operate boiler skill
not needed by the target role operate gas turbines skill
not needed by the target role perform minor repairs to equipment skill
not needed by the target role regulate steam pressure skill
not needed by the target role report on production results skill
not needed by the target role respond to emergency calls for repairs skill
not needed by the target role tend compressor engine skill
not needed by the target role train employees skill
not needed by the target role troubleshoot skill

16 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 photovoltaic systems required
required, not held solar energy required
optional, not held chemical products optional
optional, not held maritime meteorology optional
optional, not held offshore constructions and facilities optional
optional, not held offshore renewable energy technologies optional
optional, not held automation technology optional
optional, not held battery chemistry optional
optional, not held battery components optional
optional, not held battery fluids optional
optional, not held fuel gas optional
optional, not held hydraulics optional
optional, not held hydroelectricity optional
optional, not held renewable energy optional
optional, not held sensors optional
optional, not held statistical analysis system software optional

Index

Other moves recorded from fossil-fuel power plant operator

Full index of moves from fossil-fuel power plant operator

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.