Table 1Transition record

nuclear engineertonuclear technician

A nuclear engineer already meets 52% of what the nuclear technician role asks for. The move turns on 13 required skills not yet in the profile.

From nuclear engineer

52%

Overlap1

To nuclear technician

20 Skills carried over

13 Required, not held

54.6 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 54.6

This move: 54.6 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the nuclear technician role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the nuclear 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 20 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A nuclear technician role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a nuclear engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held maintain nuclear reactors working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held nuclear reprocessing engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held ensure equipment cooling working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held calibrate precision instrument working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held calculate exposure to radiation information skills
already held monitor radiation levels information skills

All 20 carried skills, including the 17 the nuclear technician role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 23 missing skills fall into 10 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 4 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held maintain electromechanical equipment required
required, not held maintain hydraulic systems required
required, not held use measurement instruments required
required, not held use testing equipment required

optional, not held respond to electrical power contingencies optional
optional, not held monitor automated machines optional
optional, not held perform minor repairs to equipment optional

02 assisting and caring 2 required

required, not held avoid contamination required
required, not held use personal protection equipment required

03 information skills 2 required

required, not held investigate contamination required
required, not held maintain records of maintenance interventions required

04 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held liaise with engineers required

optional, not held manage emergency evacuation plans optional
optional, not held troubleshoot optional

05 handling and moving 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held use hand tools required

optional, not held monitor disposal of radioactive substances optional

06 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required

required, not held pneumatics required

4 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a nuclear technician 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 20 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held calculate exposure to radiation skill
already held calibrate precision instrument skill
already held contamination exposure regulations knowledge
already held ensure compliance with environmental legislation skill
already held ensure compliance with radiation protection regulations skill
already held ensure equipment cooling skill
already held follow nuclear plant safety precautions skill
already held maintain nuclear reactors skill
already held metrology knowledge
already held monitor nuclear power plant systems skill
already held monitor radiation levels skill
already held nuclear energy knowledge
already held radiation protection knowledge
already held radioactive contamination knowledge
already held resolve equipment malfunctions skill
already held respond to nuclear emergencies skill
already held technical drawings knowledge
already held electric generators knowledge
already held electrical power safety regulations knowledge
already held nuclear reprocessing knowledge

The 4 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 services 1 required

required, not held fire prevention procedures required

08 working with computers 1 required

required, not held operate machine tools required

09 constructing 2 supplementary

optional, not held monitor electric generators optional
optional, not held maintain test equipment optional

10 management skills 2 supplementary

optional, not held arrange equipment repairs optional
optional, not held ensure equipment maintenance optional

10 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held arrange equipment repairs optional
optional, not held monitor electric generators optional
optional, not held respond to electrical power contingencies optional
optional, not held ensure equipment maintenance optional
optional, not held maintain test equipment optional
optional, not held manage emergency evacuation plans optional
optional, not held monitor automated machines optional
optional, not held monitor disposal of radioactive substances optional
optional, not held perform minor repairs to equipment optional
optional, not held troubleshoot optional

25 held skills the nuclear technician role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role adjust engineering designs skill
not needed by the target role approve engineering design skill
not needed by the target role automation technology knowledge
not needed by the target role civil engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role design automation components skill
not needed by the target role design power plant systems skill
not needed by the target role design strategies for nuclear emergencies skill
not needed by the target role develop radiation protection strategies skill
not needed by the target role develop strategies for electricity contingencies skill
not needed by the target role electricity consumption knowledge
not needed by the target role engineering principles knowledge
not needed by the target role engineering processes knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with safety legislation skill
not needed by the target role mechanical engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role mechanics knowledge
not needed by the target role mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products knowledge
not needed by the target role nuclear legislation knowledge
not needed by the target role nuclear physics knowledge
not needed by the target role perform risk analysis skill
not needed by the target role perform scientific research skill
not needed by the target role safety engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role test safety strategies skill
not needed by the target role thermodynamics knowledge
not needed by the target role use technical drawing software skill
not needed by the target role wear appropriate protective gear skill

2 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 fire prevention procedures required
required, not held pneumatics required

Index

Other moves recorded from nuclear engineer

Full index of moves from nuclear 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.