Table 1Transition record

industrial engineertosurface engineer

A industrial engineer already meets 57% of what the surface engineer role asks for. The move turns on 5 required skills not yet in the profile.

From industrial engineer

57%

Overlap1

To surface engineer

19 Skills carried over

5 Required, not held

44.6 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 44.6

This move: 44.6 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the surface engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the industrial 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 19 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 industrial engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held welding techniques engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held semiconductors engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held industrial engineering engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held material mechanics engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held production processes engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held environmental legislation business, administration and law

All 19 carried skills, including the 10 the surface engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 19 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 2 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held safety engineering required
required, not held surface engineering required

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

02 information skills 1 required, 5 supplementary

required, not held perform scientific research required

optional, not held analyse stress resistance of materials optional
optional, not held analyse test data optional
optional, not held develop material testing procedures optional
optional, not held recognise signs of corrosion optional
optional, not held record test data optional

03 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required

required, not held corrosion types required

04 working with computers 1 required

required, not held use technical drawing software required

05 constructing 2 supplementary

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

06 working with machinery and specialised equipment 2 supplementary

optional, not held use non-destructive testing equipment optional
optional, not held galvanise metal workpiece 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 19 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 execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
already held industrial engineering knowledge
already held manufacturing processes knowledge
already held mathematics knowledge
already held production processes knowledge
already held technical drawings knowledge
already held chemistry knowledge
already held electrical engineering knowledge
already held environmental legislation knowledge
already held material mechanics knowledge
already held mechanical engineering knowledge
already held physics knowledge
already held semiconductors knowledge
already held types of metal knowledge
already held welding techniques 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

14 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 analyse test data optional
optional, not held computer simulation optional
optional, not held develop material testing procedures 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 record test data optional
optional, not held soldering techniques optional

58 held skills the surface engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role 3D modelling knowledge
not needed by the target role CAD software knowledge
not needed by the target role advise on manufacturing problems skill
not needed by the target role aerospace engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role analyse production processes for improvement skill
not needed by the target role apply advanced manufacturing skill
not needed by the target role automation technology knowledge
not needed by the target role automotive engineering skill
not needed by the target role build machines 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 continuous improvement philosophies knowledge
not needed by the target role control production skill
not needed by the target role coordinate engineering teams skill
not needed by the target role coordinate manufacturing production activities 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 principles knowledge
not needed by the target role design prototypes skill
not needed by the target role determine production capacity skill
not needed by the target role develop product design skill
not needed by the target role develop production line 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 industrial research and development knowledge
not needed by the target role industrial tools knowledge
not needed by the target role instrumentation engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role instrumentation equipment knowledge
not needed by the target role integrate new products in manufacturing skill
not needed by the target role keep up with digital transformation of industrial processes skill
not needed by the target role lead process optimisation skill
not needed by the target role lean manufacturing knowledge
not needed by the target role liaise with engineers skill
not needed by the target role maintain industrial equipment skill
not needed by the target role maintain relationship with suppliers skill
not needed by the target role manage budgets skill
not needed by the target role manage production systems skill
not needed by the target role mechanics knowledge
not needed by the target role mechatronics knowledge

18 further entries not listed here

8 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 safety engineering required
required, not held surface engineering required
optional, not held ferrous metal processing optional
optional, not held computer simulation optional
optional, not held hazardous waste types optional
optional, not held non-destructive testing optional
optional, not held soldering techniques optional

Index

Other moves recorded from industrial engineer

Full index of moves from industrial 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.